The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn
by candelight
Summary: Checkmate fiction. Memories are sacred and invaluable as well as destructive. Vlad learns this as Danny slowly begins to die on the inside after contacting pneumonia. Desperate and distressed, Vlad begs the fading Danny to stay...before it's too late...!
1. Chapter 1

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

Part One: The Sun Comes Out At Midnight

_Les étincelles tombent avec les congés écarlates qui ont dérivé en aval. Le rougeoiement meurt dans le ciel._

~*~

Checkmate fiction. Memories are precious, invaluable tokens that soothe as well as destroy. After Danny contracts pneumonia at Vlad's house, that becomes more evident then ever as the child slowly begins to lose his fight, much to the billionaire's distress. Memory is what's slowly killing Danny on the inside, and the older hybrid must make a choice-give the one he can't let go his freedom, watch the younger die-or help Danny _help himself_-_and fast!_

* * *

Sorry it's been taking so long....I'm still working with different writing styles, and this one was certainly out-of-the-box for me. Plot included. And a great deal of my material had been deleted, so I'm still sobbing about that one....

Aggghh. Anyhoo, this one shot has to become a two-shot, folks. It's just far too much for me to squeeze into one chapter comfortably. So forgive me if this tale seems somewhat off....D:

I seriously want to work on Gryphon's Keep again-but I have been enjoying this tale.....in a matter of speaking. Losing all of my material.....D:.......it's extremely aggravating, and it's hard not to reflect that frustration with this plot.

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn….wow…..*muses...* I really kinda like this title…..

*Clears throat. Chuckles. Uh…….ah. Everybody's here.*

Bonjour, Aloha, Salutations, Hola, and Konnichiwa, folks! We have here the winner of my poll in King, Queen, and Masters. However, I have decided to try for the challenge of creating….

…..all four oneshots.

Why?

**_Because I'm a bigger fruit loop then Vlad, THAT'S why._**

Lol! And one of my reviewers bribed me with cookies and a Vlad plushie! A VLAD PLUSHIE! What was I supposed to do in such an onslaught? ^^ And Jaylein-Skyler asked if I might give it a shot, too….in my copious amounts of free time.

*Grumble, grumble. Copious free time indeed….I beg your pardon. ^^ JK.*

Still, since TEODAD won this poll-fair and square-it does goes first. Next, I'll try _Temper. It's A Dog's Life _is going to be a bit tricky, since I have to find every single chapter TJ was in and monitor it…..

O.O And_, Frozen April Moon _is actually kinda short, so that'll probably come along in good time. I'm also working on Gryphon's Keep-which basically involves Danny's kidnapping….and, a new chapture of Kingdom Come is coming up fairly soon.

But I also have to update Love thy Godfather, Motherly Affection, When Kitchens Collide, Shooting Fallen Stars, Letters Unsent, Legacy of a Nightmare: Ryou's Tale, The Broken Doll, and....

...........ah.................and, well..........^^

*Vlad inches away, looking disturbed. ^^ I have fun with what I do, but these multiple chaptered stories are probably going to be the death of me, chaps.*

……I juggle. Once again, I have a lot of projects….and, I switch from fiction to fiction. Sue me. ^^ It's just a bit more fun that way! :D

This is a bit of rush-I have to have all of my projects completed in the span of six months. Easier said than done, but I can only be on Fanfiction maybe once or twice in awhile once Summer vacation ends (Which it has an extraordinarily bad habit of doing.)

But I love a small challenge-as long as I can work at my own pace. Que sera sera!

Everyone, be well. This segment is a little angsty….but give Danny a hug, won't you? *Hands out Danny Phantom plushies to all-huggles Vlad plushie I received as payment.*

By the anyhoo, if anyone's interested in knowing the score, this tale received one review more-which basically won this story the title of going first.

And, well...since some of my other reviewers forgot to read more after the credit page, _Frozen April Moon, It's A Dog's Life,_ and _Temper _each got

one vote.

Ah, dear....well, what will be, will be.

This particular story is dedicated to:

_Sparteen (Thanks for the cookies-*Munches yummy pastries* ^^ and for the plushie. By the way, Gir is awesomesauce.)_

_And Jaylein-Skyler-I adore your intake on things. Very intrepid and quite interesting! Take care, Nikki._

_pearl84-Do I HAVE to say why? ^^ Doomo arigatou gozaimasu. IADL will probably only take a few days. ^^ I'm hopin' to begin work on MLKJ day._

* * *

(~*~)

Okay, everyone. I think you know by now that I do NOT own Danny Phantom. I am not Butch Elmer Hartman in disguise, folks. I don't think he'd pose as a fanfiction writer in high school.

*Casts a look around, looks shifty.*

Or WOULD he…?

Nope, he wouldn't. And I don't own Pearl's Checkmate, either. And that's actually very good indeed-because I have no idea how on Earth I could manage that depth of a tale for so very long. As always, we salute. ^^

_(~*~)_

_Quote:_

_"MORNS like these we parted; _

_Noons like these she rose, _

_Fluttering first, then firmer, _

_To her fair repose. _

_Never did she lisp it, _

_And 'twas not for me; _

_She was mute from transport,_

_I, from agony! _

_Till the evening, nearing, _

_One the shutters drew-- _

_Quick! a sharper rustling! _

_And this linnet flew!"_

_

* * *

_

This tale does not begin with a ghostly hybrid-either Danny or Vlad, dear reader-and it will not begin with the Fentons-nor will it with Sam and Tucker.

Rather, we must backtrack ever so slightly, and start with two specters you might find slightly repetitive. But it is here with them we shall start, and- (If you haven't quite yet stuck your ears full of cotton to drive out the senseless babbling or quarreling you can come to expect with these two) with them, it shall end.

Martha and Patricia argue quite a bit.

That just might be pointing out the obvious, somewhat, but I suppose every story must have its beginnings, rational or not.

Now, where I was I…? Ah. Two maids in the service of Vladimir Masters. Cheery souls that they are, they DO consist with the gift of gab, and they use it quite often, much to a resigned Niane's endurance.

The simplest conversation can easily turn into a dispute, and carry on long into the hours of the day, even at work with daily duties and posts. Giving in to the other almost sort of an unspoken taboo between them, and so, more often good natured disputes then not- continue long into the day...and occasionally into the night.

But everyone is simply too busy or far too used to their arguing to pay much heed. The girls _are _intelligent enough to know when to keep their silence-most often demonstrated around their master, Vlad.

Danny used to be secondary in that regard, but the maids grew used to the child-and most of the time, don't even notice his passing them in the hallways while they continue to fuss about some argument long since passed, with the bewildered and bemused teen left to shake his head while the two women continued an age long disagreement on the better way to treat a cold-to the disagreement on whether or not the quiet or the cute prove to be the more dangerous.

Occasionally, however, they do agree. Working in such proximity with one another is no certainty that they are of the same opinion-but they do maintain friendly relations, bygones.

One thing they agree on is the pestilence of rodents. (Martha personally believes that roaches are worse-but _please,_ don't bring it up in front of Patricia)-but the creatures are simply not to be found in debonair homes given daily immaculate care-and so that is a matter little discussed.

The second matter of which they agree upon involves Danny Phantom and Vlad Masters. No one knew why the two had dropped most of their hostilities towards one another-and, while it was really rather unnerving at first, seeing as the two normally got along in the cordial dignity of a rabid dog and cat- it did provide for a much friendlier atmosphere, and the master did seem to smile a bit more.

It was....pleasant. At least, most of the time.

Much to Niane's relief, even _these_ two have no need to argue about a mutual preference.

Another thing they agree upon is one they generally refrain from speaking about at all. Well, until the girls start bickering about when, exactly, the events that will soon transpire below had occurred and _why_-but the one point that is rather avoided by bringing up such nonessential information is the.....dread their master felt over the incident.

And that dread was more then quite tangible. It was rather like the selfsame occasion when they'd first seen their master lose composure, just a few months ago.

It was as if the very world was going into conniptions, for a fabric of stable reality had finally been torn. Vlad Masters had been startled out of his debonair habit to begin acting so very....

_....human._

There had been fear-true, fresh, _fear-_in that scream for Derek when the man had came home that day, tugging a bloody, fading child back home.

That scream had been alarming, and most unlike Vlad, much to the servants' disquiet. It was the main reason that they'd flooded to the boy's chambers in uncertain droves.

But once they saw Danny's broken body, it was more then...generally understood.

Vlad had not been the same as usual when the younger hybrid fell into unconsciousness, and, after skipping daily business as well as a meeting in the past two days, he'd certainly looked....older. More lined.

And concern knotted at his brow with anxiety.

While the servants did their best to cope with this development by remaining constant about their business as usual, a pallid uncertainty and gloom of the matter DID have a way of sweeping over the castle stones.

Another occasion that followed remained just as unpleasant-and Vlad refrains from recalling it too much. It's not as if he needs another check mark on the long list of shame that seems to be rapidly growing these days, but it remains, reader. It remains-pleasant or terrible as you might find it.

I suppose it depends on the way you look at things.

Either way you shall take it, you shall take it.

(And the long, rather tedious narration-ENDS.)

~*~

* * *

The sky was rapidly becoming soaked in an ocean of stars as night began its full terrible, beautiful, magnificent draping over the world with its

speckled tapestry.

A small breeze ruffled the pages of the book resting on Danny's balcony, flickering lightly with the gentle push until, its trembling cover at last fell shut, fresh green leaves trickling idly by in its wake.

Danny was never one to leave books outside. And he'd certainly hadn't intended to start-particularly tonight. But he withdrew after a headache had begun to gnaw at his subconscious, much to his agitation.

Tonight was...or, had been...a meteor shower. The brilliant bolts of light had ceased falling behind the horizon, and the excited Danny Fenton had already withdrawn-accidentally forgetting his small book of night sky patterns that Jazz had given him not too long ago outside.

But while he had, indeed, enjoyed watching them race down, once again, the boy had felt faintly sick, and reluctantly returned to his room, making the now all too routine route to the medicine cabinet for a pain killer before he went to bed.

For the past few weeks, Danny had been contracting regular headaches, much to his annoyance.

He'd scoffed at that. It was nothing of severe concern, but lately, the dull throb had become more acute to that of a sharp sting, and it was beginning to drive the confused younger hybrid crazy.

But though his newly acquired head and chest pain was coming at more and more frequent intervals, and Vlad was starting to cast him puzzled glances after the boy's fourth mention of a headache in a week, he had been sure it was really nothing. A good flight always did him wonders-and that was often all it really took to set his thoughts at ease.

As for the chest pain-well, probably from his light cough. He'd never spent an early springtime in Northern Wisconsin before, and his body probably didn't know how to handle it. Probably just the pollen in the air.

So thinking, Danny had sank into slumber, breathing slightly labored as he did so.

~*~

* * *

A Barn Owl hooted ever so slightly before aimlessly fluttering to its roost on a small tree in the ocean of forest, turning dark eyes to the castle

window, where the light had suddenly and unexpectedly flipped back on.

~*~

He only had a five second warning from his violently twisting stomach before the young hybrid clapped a hand over his mouth, eyes wide.

Danny staggered from his bed, now quite pale as he gagged once more. He set off towards the bathroom at a run, praying he wouldn't slip and...

...well, he wasn't going to think of that.

He was just in time.

The teen ejected the contents of his stomach, head spinning wildly, and chest cavity contorting in severe discomfort with every painful heave the younger hybrid's stomach was upchucking.

* * *

Chest rising and falling, wincing at the sharp sting at his throat and the pangs now emanating from his already achy chest, Danny shakingly withdrew, slowly wiping at his mouth.

_Gaaaahhhh._

Danny panted slightly, exhaling heavily before his eyes snapped shut once again, and he leaned over to retch once more.

Gasping, gagging, and now wincing at the return of the hot, bitter sting of acid against his throat, the teen rubbed at his eyes, now feeling apprehensive at his uncertain stomach.

Danny groaned in defeat as he paused for a moment to ascertain he wasn't going to continue vomiting, and then stood to look at his reflection in the nearby bathroom mirror.

He winced.

His complexion was seriously pale...or more so then usual, and his eyes were reddish- as well as unfocused-hazy blue orbs below a now damp forehead.

Time to face facts.

He slowly sank to his knees once again, and rested his head against the cool marble of the sink, sighing after a moment or two had past.

Looks like the whole saying: "He who believes himself to be ill, WILL become ill" COULD be disproved. Despite days ready to go onto weeks of denying it....

He seriously had one heck of a bug. He knew now to accept that.

The young hybrid's stomach twisted once again, and he hurriedly ducked his head once again as the contents of breakfast, lunch, and dinner came back in full fury.

The apprehension of this fact sank into sheer resignation. After a moment or two, Danny wearily sank onto the cold tiles with a groan, shivering slightly.

It hurt to move.

With another wince, he vaguely remembered passing out in Amity Park just a few months ago. But the physicians claimed it had been fatigue, slight malnutrition, and exhaustion.

Was that what was happening now?

No. Danny doubted it. He blamed the season once again. Probably just a mild stomach virus.....and he doubted that it could be anything else....

His spectral energy was about as normal as it could be with daily training, so it wasn't another internal ectoplasm attack. Danny would know if it was, and he hadn't been throwing up at that point.

Still unwilling to dismiss the reality, Danny continued to ponder with a slight frown.

Was there anything else that could have caused this....?

Maybe he'd gotten food poisoning.

Danny managed a faint smile at the thought of George's indignant, incredulous, and outraged face if he could have heard him say that. He shook it off. George's cooking was immaculate, and Vlad seemed fine enough after eating the same food.

He stifled a small laugh, but winced, and ceased almost instantly as another, rather troubling though passed it's way into the younger hybrid's thoughts....

Speaking of Vlad....

The younger hybrid whimpered slightly, and pressed his burning face into his hands.

No. This wasn't like before. Just a bug. It wasn't even worth skipping training or...lessons over.

The thought made him smile, albeit a bit ruefully. But it was true-he'd handled far worse junk then this. And he certainly didn't need Vlad smirking over the fact that he, Danny Phantom-couldn't handle so much as a cough then a ghost-or worse, Vlad would simply make an enormous deal out of nothing.

Danny's eyes flickered, and lowered to his pale fists now clenched in his lap.

Sam-he flinched ever so slightly; Sam was a top priority on things he did his best not to think about during the day here.....

.....and failed miserably.

Still, he did allow himself to recall when Mr. and Mrs. Manson-after learning their daughter had contracted a small cold-had called in a team of ER units to observe her night and day.....ultimately driving the goth girl nuts.

He managed another slight chuckle-but there was no humor, this time. Glancing at his face in the mirror...and seeing it still contorted with sadness, he shook it off with a slight scowl, and switched to his previous thoughts.

It wasn't as if they were easy to ignore, considering they decided to drop him a friendly visit every time the boy continued another lovely bout of projectile vomiting.

But once his stomach, chest, and head cleared up a little, this would be easy enough to handle. As Danny worked on clearing his rapidly spinning head, he managed to garner some comfort from the fact. Obviously, as Maddie had told him the nights she'd spent with a flushed and miserable child gagging in the bathroom, one cool hand reassuringly tracing little circles on the back of his neck-this wouldn't last forever.

At the thought, his eyes stung slightly, and, now abashed, he swiped at them with one hand.

~*~

Still clutching his stomach, Danny uncertainly put a hand to his own face, pointless though he knew it was. His hand was the same temperature as the rest of his body, and most likely could not help him detect a severe difference.

Yep. He personally couldn't tell whether it felt overly warm or not.

It wasn't anything to stress out over. Just a bug. He'd had far worse in his erratic lifetime.

The thought was slightly encouraging, and, with it, Danny slowly stood up once again, ready to turn for the bedroom once again.

But then, almost immediately, fell to his knees once again to bend over, stomach still not quite done yet.

And began to violently gag once again.

~*~

When dawn had broken over the still gently swaying treetops the next morning, Danny had fallen asleep in the bathroom, head resting on a folded towel, hand on his stomach.

After his newly gained ability of teleportation, Danny had figured it would prove easy enough returning to the bathroom in case of further attacks.

But they'd become annoyingly frequent, so at last, the younger hybrid of Vlad's castle had given up, and settled down on the floor for the evening.

As he slept, brushing in and out of waking dreams, his palm remained near his ribcage, a slight frown on his features as he dozed.

His chest was still burning.

* * *

~*~

After brushing his teeth multiple times to eradicate the acid from his mouth, cleaning up slightly, and being satisfied enough with his appearance-still pale, but now not unduly so, and the boy had drifted downstairs, as was his wont.

To his relief, Vlad had given him a puzzled glance or two while he'd pretended to eat breakfast, but that seemed about all. Knowing Vlad, he'd put up some huge fuss or simply smirk at the teen for being unable to handle so much as a _cold._

And so, Danny had left for lessons afterwards, and the man for a few scheduled phone calls.

But he'd cast a mystified, uncertain glance at the boy's retreating back as he did so.

(~*~)

Two days later, it was beginning to worry him immensely.

Danny rarely ate more then tidbits, and, it was only when he seemed to sense Vlad watching.

And the billionaire had, indeed, been doing so.

In middle of conversation, Daniel would "accidentally" forget to take a bite of whatnot before lowering his fork or spoon to vaguely mention some fact-trivial or not.

And, to his continued surprise, the boy's cough didn't seem to be getting much better, though the child claimed it was, really.

But Daniel had always been a wretched liar, and now, the man was becoming suspicious at the younger hybrid's odd behavior.

According to George and Carl...who often knocked at the child's door....Daniel really WAS hacking quite a bit these days. It was always hastily stifled at the uncertain thud at the wood, but now, after hearing that awful claim Vlad really was becoming to hate these days-"I'm fine"-he was feeling more and more uneasy.

For although the child DID refrain from coughing unless absolutely necessary around the man, those bouts were long...as well as hard. Vlad was often left staring in bewildered ambiguity during these small explosions, occasionally forced to stop in whatever they were doing-were it training or something of that sort-to awkwardly tap the child's back, wondering out loud whether or not Daniel wanted a glass of water or a cough drop.

But, yet again, Daniel would desist. And, as another two days passed in this fashion, he felt his rapidly declining patience began to wane once more.

* * *

~*~

Soon enough, the waning sliver of patience he had left eclipsed.

It had been during one of Vlad and Danny's practice periods when the program had at last been paused, and initiated into a shutdown sequence.

After Vlad's voice command had rung out through the air, the now slightly bewildered billionaire had turned, brow slightly furrowed.

"Daniel...?"

Across the room where he had left him, the teen was still bent over slightly-and still coughing violently. Vlad raised an eyebrow, and, now feeling

slightly dumbfounded, drifted over to the younger hybrid, wondering if he ought to summon one of the maids nearby for a jug of water.

While Vlad glanced at the nearby loudspeaker, Danny-as if guessing the man's thoughts-began to shake a slightly trembling, illuminous silver

hand in the man's direction, still unable to speak properly.

Which was rather lucky. Vlad was so sick of hearing the boy's infernal insistence of well being that the man felt ready to scream.

.....as well as feel a slight sadness.

What was with the boy, as of late?

And, even _now...._

.....wouldn't he even trust the older hybrid to help him?

~*~*~

Again and again, he'd tried to check for a fever.

And...again and again, the child would edgily shift away, looking uneasy.

But Vlad Masters was now quite irritated, and not to be denied.

After seeing the boy off, as usual, the man had begun to make a detour for his lab, but he'd stopped in midpace, mentally groaning when he recalled that the bracelet was no longer bound around Daniel's wrist.

As well as no longer in this world, ever since those accursed brats stole into his home, and snatched it. His blood still boiled at the thought.

Well....Ms. Thomas could do without the child for a minute or so....

....or perhaps longer.

With a slight frown, Vlad made his way towards his lab once again, this time, towards the medicinal bassinet.

~*~

The clock was patiently ticking from the other side of the room, much as it had always done.

Ms. Thomas had cast the boy an uncertain glance when Danny's pencil thudded against the desk, and he'd clapped a hand over his mouth as yet another attack began to carve its way directly into his lungs.

Throat blistering, and, something thick trickling from his mouth to his fingertips, Danny began yet another cough, burning scorch that had been bubbling beneath the young hybrid's chest cavity coming ripely to a boil as he turned slightly in his seat, feeling nauseous.

Slightly startled, fifteen year old Danny Phantom-began to cough once again, the painful vibrations beginning to shake him ever so slightly as the specter drifted towards him, looking concerned.

"Ah....dear....are you....."

She trailed off as the small clock began to chime the hour, glanced at it, and then, turned back around.

The ghost's eyes widened.

It was quite unnecessary to go any further.

Seeing as Daniel Phantom's body was now little more then a small, curled up figure, motionless on the ground.

Like that of a broken puppet.

* * *

Whew....

Next chapter things....really heat up, if you know what I'm saying. Things are happening fairly quickly, but you're going to see WHY soon enough.

.....let's just say, Danny's not a novice when it comes to hide-and-seek.

Poor Danny.

Poor, poor, poor Danny.*Tears.*

Sorry it took so long......D: My computer chose to delete my material when it seemed to think I wasn't "logged on"....twice. And I felt like screaming each time.

Actually, I still do, so allot me a second or two......

*Screams into pillow.*

But I think this one-shot will have to become a two or three-shot. The real emotion comes next chapter....particularly with a surprise meeting and a startling discovery or two on Vlad's part.

Adieu, ma cheries. I very rarely have time for Fanfiction anymore. D: Darn school. Dar homework and studies. I hope to get this published soon....but I doubt that will be the case.

Dagnabit.


	2. Chapter 2

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

_Illuminata aurora:_

**_Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also._**

(~*~)

Odd chapter name as well as afterthought….but I really kinda liked it. Something clicked. *Shrugs.* Part two of this segment will be coming soon. Most oddly enough, this story keeps on growing!

I tried to fit in Danny's scenes....but they wouldn't fit! Grrr!

Hallo, one and all! Pearl recently updated, and I try to update Checkmatey business soon after she publishes a new chapter. ^^ I certainly know it's not the same, but…..

Ah, well. My second guardian's computer will not allow me to update or review, but the new segment, _Confining Fear-_just about broke my heart. I've been questioning many things of the world as of late, and I really could relate with both characters on their aspects on….things, as well as ache for both Vlad and Danny.

No one….can possibly want such a cut-and-dry existence….that is cynical as well as bitter.

And no one could possibly want to fear themselves so much….

Danny…does need Vlad, in a matter of speaking. But now, I'm not at all sure if I know whether _Vlad _needs the child more than Amity Park does.

Or that of his family. And, if my guess is correct on WHY Niane is stationed at-

………….

What? D'you think I'm going to drop spoilers? ^^ Go read pearl's chapter yourself, if you haven't already!

By the way, I recently published _Frozen April Moon-_which has Maddie's perspective on things as of late. Please, please-if it's not too much trouble-read a little if you have the chance and tell me what you think!

Anyhoo, these author notes of mine are already painfully long as they are, but I just want to drop my two cents in before I drop the dedications, and the (gasp) story itself: ;)

Do I want Danny to return home? Of course I do!

….and, yet I reeaaalllyyy don't want him to. I think that's the sentiment of most CM fans. Tell me if you think otherwise. I love your input.

I feel so sorry for Vlad. No one should have to be so painfully hardened to the world. He does….in his fruitloopy and-not-so-fruitloopy ways, care for Danny. But now, I'm just confused. Does he even want Maddie anymore? His main focus in the most recent chapter was our favorite ghost hybrid. Little next to nothing on Madeline. I wonder about that……

Well, even if he does believe that no one can ever be truly happy, it's still quite likely he fancies Maddie, and wants her to be his wife. I mean, c'mon, twenty years of being infatuated with someone most likely isn't going to end so quickly or easily.

I WOULDN'T mind him falling for Stephanie-but that doesn't seem so likely. (By the way, Pearl, what does 'jie', or whatever Steph chose to call him mean again? I'm lost....^^)

*Wipes eyes.*

Okay. Enough prattling.

Wow-I certainly wasn't expecting this many reviews the first round! *Hugs Reviewers and sends them fruit baskets, where a Vlad plushie with a pull string can be found. (Tugs string.)* ^^

_"Curse you, Jack Fenton!"_

_"Oh, butter biscuits."_

_"Oh, sugar cookies!"_

_"Little badger…."_

_"Fruitloop?! I'll show **YOU** Fruitloop, you little-!" _

_(I run for my life.)  
_

_Next time, I'm going to find the Danny plushie that says "Fruitloop" and "Cheese head" in five different languages:_

_"Cheesehead!"_

_In espanol….._

_¡Cabeza queso!_

_In Swahili…._

"Jibini mkuu!"

_In French…._

_"Tête de Cheese!"_

_In German…._

_"Käse-Kopf!"_

_In Japanese…._

_….well, I've blathered on for far too long._

Poor Danny….isn't going to be doing too well in this particular story segment….but I don't do tragedy, people. Not often, anyhow.

I'd like to dedicate this chapter to the following folks:

_~*~_

_**PinkPanther123**-The one who taught me a valuable lesson: All homework can easily be taken care of if you happen to own a steamroller. ^^ Thanks! :D_

**aryaneragon4ever**-What? How dare you not like the Danny plushie? *Hmmphs and sends you a Packers jersey stolen from Vlad's home. JK.* Thank you for being my first and only reviewer for _Frozen April Moon._

**Little Juniper**-O.O Um…okay…..here's the new chapter…..really hope you like it…..

**Sparteen**-*Sends a laptop.* ^^ Thank you so much for the kind words. Long live GIR, and cheers for the iTouch!

**bluegoo2**-*Still tries to say name five times fast, and fails miserably.* Ah, well. Thanks so much for the encouragement! I really, really needed it at the time.

**TTCyclone**-Bonjour again. ^.^ Yes, Checkmate is good…..very good stuff……

And Thanks a lot for listening. ^^ Did you get that snow day you wanted? ;) Unfortunately, we did not. Ah, well.

**Jaylein-Skyler**-I saw your comment on your profile page. (Goes scarlet.) That was very sweet. Thank you so very much, Nikki. That's true for Pearl...but I doubt it's likewise for me!

I hate washing dishes too. :P ^^ But keep your chin up,_ cherie_-and thanks for the cyber brownies. Best dessert to receive. :D Doomo arigatou gozaimasu.

**HorseLuvr14**-Ah! You caught the mistranslation! But very sharp of you! Congrats! *Danny sends you a French dictionary, but decides that's dull, so he sends you a trip to Disney land instead. ^^*

**pearl84-***Goes scarlet.* I adore your reviews. Doomo arigatou gozaimasu! Praise from Caesar makes me go red. ^^

But AGAIN-thanks for the help with TJ! This should be much, much easier to do now....

He'll be, perhaps-a little more difficult to pull off, because I've never tried using a dog's perceptions on things, but it should be marvelous to try! :D

**Teira Phantomhive-**You are indeed, correct! But Vlad's still going to need help before he 'cures' Danny.^^

By the anyhoo, that was very kind of you to say so. *Goes red.* Thank you very much!

Alrighty, folks. Just gotta get through today and tomorrow….today and tomorrow, and then the weekend will be here. *Lets angelic choir sing.*

Be of good cheer, everyone.

~*~*~

_Quote:_

_"Now close the windows and hush all the fields:  
If the trees must, let them silently toss;_

_No bird is singing now, and if there is,  
Be it my loss._

_It will be long ere the marshes resume,  
I will be long ere the earliest bird:  
So close the windows and not hear the wind,  
But see all wind-stirred."_

~*~

Colors dashed in and out of an absentminded flurry of illumination as Danny's head continued to rapidly spin; taking large gulps of air that did not help soothe his inflamed lungs, nor the quaking throb of his violently pounding pulse.

The burning scorch that had been bubbling beneath the young hybrid's chest cavity had come to a boil as an uncertain Ms. Thomas helped the coughing child sit up, his vision blearily swimming in and out of an absentminded focus.

The overwhelming tightness seemed to double tenfold in Danny's already painfully constricted insides as a lump rose to an irritated, swollen clasp while the child shakily stood, the ghostly mentor giving him yet another concerned glance.

"Ah…ah….."

She swallowed, feeling slightly dizzy as she wondered whether or not she ought to rouse the master of the house.

Again, she attempted to shake the child and rouse him back to proper consciousness, brow creasing as the boy only continued to shakily cough.

Placing her hands on the boy's shoulders, she continued to firmly shake, wondering vaguely if she ought to flash scarlet eyes at him.

Giving some a demonic glare while they were spacing out in class was an excellent way to revert their energies back to the schoolroom. It had become an effective habit she was quite glad to regularly employ….

….in any given scenario but_ this _scene.

She crouched by the young boy's side, casting a glance at the intercom Vlad Masters had told her she might use.

So far, the ghostly professor hadn't felt obliged to do so, but….

She cast an uncertain glance at the still wildly gasping, young hybrid on the floor.

In any given scenario, it would be safe to assume that the child looked a veritable wreck. Raven bangs were messily tousled over a deathly pale and sweating face, and the boy was trembling slightly as he unconsciously curled inwardly into a small ball.

She closed her eyes, removed her glasses, and began to shake at him once more.

" D-Danny….?"

The boy did not answer her, which made the anxious teacher all the more harried as she cast the gasping boy another critical glance.

Darn it-she was a teacher. A teacher!

And she had NOT gone in for her _PhD!_

Biting her lip slightly, she cast a glance at the nearby clock with a small frown.

What was she supposed to _do? _Mr. Masters had never informed her of what tasks she would need to undertake were there be an actual emergency-an emergency that could prove a threat to the walking shadows….and HALF of walking shadows that patrolled this most interesting place…..

Moving a whisp of her hair from her forehead to behind her ear, she abruptly pushed the wandering, pensive thoughts away as quickly as they had come.

_Stay on target, here,_ she firmly reminded herself, as a pair of opaque blue eyes began to flicker, and bear into her own, much to her relief.

Danny's eyes glazed over for a minute or so, but then, seemed to be winning the struggle he was currently engaged in to keep them still in proper focus, making out the teacher's fuzzy outline.

He attempted to swallow-and could not, seeing as the incredibly irritated, inflamed inward flesh, continued to prickle its vehement discomfort as Danny continued to gag and splutter, spots of shadow and colours beginning to pass before his eyes as he put a hand now stained with rusty red droplets to his chin, unknowingly staining his face further.

_Auugghhh….._

The world had become frightfully shaky for just a moment or two while Danny had sat at his desk, desperate to try and find the energy to move his pencil across the page properly.

But it just wouldn't come.

Miserable, blank eyed, and wishing that, if he chose not to move maybe a hair of an inch, he might begin to feel better-he had began to feel overpoweringly, devastatingly….

_… ….&O!E$P"?????

* * *

_

Danny could not form a completely tangible aspect of thought, except the wild sensations of discomfort panging at his body-and the desperate, fading protests of his body screaming for release-

(&??????

_Things continued to mercilessly spin_

_ and twist around into a shapeless sea of hue; hues of light and sound shapelessly molding into the other, knowing no difference-!_

_&R FIO!:*YOE*R%^W*&(O????????  
_

_The world had begun to shake once again. Danny had managed a shuddered gasp, eyes burning with unshed tears.  
_

_And then, for whatever reason, the floor had swung around to rush into him at a full 180 degrees._

~*~

As Danny shakily began to resume standing, abashedly attempting to mumble an apology, Ms. Thomas' eyes narrowed slightly as the specter's face set in a crease of firm lines.

…..regardless of the circumstances or her own uncertainty, did it really take too much of a guess to figure out that something was terribly, exceedingly wrong with the Phantom child?

The boy's eyes were now red, as well as slightly unfocused. She uncertainly placed a wan hand on his forehead….

…and winced.

Her cold, deathly touch had no warmth it to, so perhaps she was being biased in her assumption…..

…but he was ablaze to the touch. She withdrew a now slightly warming palm away, feeling the unusual sense of heat flash through emerald fingertips.

His skin had taken on a now dusky pallor, which did not look at _all _healthy.

And, from his lips, where a drop of a dark, ruby scarlet had fallen over to a trickle, down his jaw line-

Ms. Thomas' own jaw set as she silently helped the trembling boy to his feet, albeit with some difficulty.

Danny attempted to speak, found he could not, and resumed his hacking fit as the teacher sternly helped him towards the door.

At this, the young hybrid attempted to speak once again, but this time, he found himself exploding into a large coughing fit, tiny droplets of scarlet beginning to find the palm still clasped to his mouth.

"M-Ms…..um....I'm....I'm okay....."

The words came out strangely distorted; the woman ignored him. Danny swayed slightly, vision now curiously iridescent about himself.

Danny's teacher cast a glance at him, briskness beginning to be cast over with slight anxiety once again as she awkwardly threw the boy's thin arm around her neck.

She mentally groaned.

In the Ghost Zone academies, at least the facility and campus had been much better prepared for such scenarios....though ghosts didn't exactly run temperatures, after all.

She had worked at the old place for quite some time, and had grown, perhaps-a little weary of the overall board before she had finally retired just months ago.

Hey, a teacher over 300 years ought to have SOME retirement benefits.

This scenario remarkably reminded her of her last semester before she retired to her own private quarters; a young student that had looked quite remarkably like Danny had fainted during sixth hour, and-

She shook the thought off with a slight sigh.

It would ever help so much if this facility had a school nurse, but _noooo. _

She sighed again. It was quite lucky she had learned to work as if she didn't need the currency.

Which, frankly, she didn't, but still.

Ms. Thomas tentatively put her hand back to Danny's forehead, winced, and withdrew it.

What was she to do with the child? Help him to his room-maybe ask some of the maintenance staff for water?

....or help...?

The boy's....benefactor-she was not at all sure what exactly the man was to the young hybrid, whether uncle or father or friend....was he to be notified?

That's when Ms. Thomas noticed her now brilliantly ruby hands.

And her mind set as she focused upon the door, half supporting, half gliding the child across the room.

"Danny…..come along, young man. Back to bed, back to bed with you….." she mused, vaguely adjusting her spectacles as she spoke.

"….perhaps we ought to see Mr. Masters about _this_….."

Feeling faint, Danny just stared at her, cerulean blue eyes now becoming quite glassy from fatigue.

She had said something. Whatever it was, the teen could not discern much but a garbled mush sounding in his ears….as well as a name.

_Masters. _

Icy dread flooded into his stomach as the woman began to speak again, but Danny heard no more as his awkward, shaking footsteps halted.

And he abruptly lost consciousness, leaving a blankly staring Ms. Thomas alone with the young teen perched haphazardly in her arms as Danny stumbled into darkness.

~*~*~*~

Brow raised, pondering over his list absentmindedly, Vlad at last managed a brief nod of approval as he took a slight step back.

Thermometer, basin full of cold water, basin full of warm water...

Vlad faintly nodded over his newly acquired items with a slight nod.

The man had the materials brought to Daniel's room-for, if Danny was truly lying about his malady as Vlad had clearly convicted him to be, the boy could stand to miss a day or two of class. That, or he'd simply have one of the servants bring Daniel's homework to do in bed. Daniel was fairly responsible when it came to getting his assignments in.

Disregarding, Vlad still bit the inside of his mouth, feeling moderately irked with the boy for refusing to come to him when the entirety of this mess must have started.

And who knew when THAT might have been?

If he ever heard Daniel telling the man he was fine, when quite clearly, he was not-Vlad was going to break something. Quite honestly, he was more then a bit aggravated at the young hybrid's _idiotic _resistance to help.

Was he that unused to receiving aid rather then giving it that Daniel simply did not know how to deal with it?

The thought made the man pause for a moment or so, but he resumed his work with an exasperated shake of his head.

Regardless, were that boy to be any more _obdurate_....

Vlad's eyes flickered slightly as he examined a thermometer for a minute or two.

It was a trait the boy had, undoubtedly-inherited from Madeline. It was a bit unnerving to see sometimes. Occasionally, when he and Danny did lock eyes, the billionaire could see, behind the blue orbs-a shifting of all too familiar violet ones.

Vlad's brow furrowed, albeit this time in a slight sadness rather then irritation.

Danny had inherited Madeline's strength of spirit. And he admired it immensely, hindering though it had proved to a scheme too many. After all, once Vlad had first seen it in Maddie, it was just one of the many reasons he'd started to fall deeply in love with the young woman.

...but it was the reason the boy suffered so much more then he needed to. In both the boy's own bitter heartache...and his ever growing, what had to be misconceptions about himself; the latter Vlad was not at all sure he would ever quite fully comprehend.....

Was the boy that afraid of himself? Did he _hate_ himself for what he was?

Vlad's eyes softened slightly as he gazed at his own hands for a minute or so, a slight sadness falling into cobalt blue at the thought.

Falling back to his previous thoughts, both reasons underlined Daniel's foolish folly of accepting burdens that would easily crush grown men into dust. Inevitably, it was going to devastate him. As it was, it was still hurting the child-inside, and out.

The shackles he'd allowed to be bound around himself-all in the name of a loved one and a vast, multitude of thankless _strangers...._

It was dangerous for Danny. The child was fifteen years old! _Fifteen!_ His powers didn't require him to become a _martyr _for THEIR sakes_! _

It was..._**wrong. **

* * *

_

And that went for Madeline as well.

The man stood by his thoughts that had finally come to a broil just days ago when had confessed them-or partially, at the very least:

Daniel was only hurting by his....idiotically stubborn, self imposed...._obligation. _

**None** existed._  
_

_Obligation? _He had no obligation to protect the citizens of Amity Park. He'd done enough-more then enough-by rescuing the selfish lot from _Pariah Dark_! Daniel could have claimed a decent excuse to withdraw from the fighting-and let someone else take care of it for a change.

That, or leave the scum to save themselves for once. The boy could have been training with Vlad in all that time-working to become an astronaut, as was surely his heart's vocation-and living a safe, protected existence-one that _didn't_ involve ghosts and humans wanting to tear him into microscopic pieces!

But no. The moment the child heard a scream for help, he readily went into battle against a specter, thermos in hand. It was absurd. The child was going to get himself seriously hurt....

....again.

But he'd never allow a selfsame occasion like Walker's ambush to occur to the younger hybrid once again.

_Ever_ again. Vlad suppressed the barest hint of a hiss.

Bit of a shame he couldn't use his vast sea of resources to destroy the warden. It would be far too difficult to manage to actually pull it off.

Nonetheless, Vlad still_ itched_ to get his hands around the warden's throat, and, for what he had done to Daniel-for what he had_ almos_t done to the little hybrid-

**SNAP!**

The man started at the noise, and then slowly cast a look at the now hopelessly broken beyond repair object still clenched in his hand.

He groaned, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingertips.

...oh, dear.

.....he'd broken the thermometer.

* * *

As the man discarded the broken shards, fetched a new device, he began to look over his material once again, still musing slightly, a faint frown creased into the etches of his features.

People were ready enough to cheer for Daniel while he fought _their_ battles.

Yet, they were just as prepared to turn their backs on the child while governmental agencies shot at the boy for _helping _people.

Vlad hadn't liked to admit it at the time, but that had been, indeed-one of the key factors he had engaged the nanobot technology in Jasmine's body. The billionaire had known all along that the boy would sink to any length necessary to keep his beloved sister safe-regardless of any personal threat on him.

But though Vlad's demand for the boy to leave Amity Park had obviously injured the boy in more ways then one-it HAD worked. Daniel was safe.

.....for the most part. He wasn't keeping track of just how many times that little rule had been breached as of yet, and, personally, he didn't wish to know anyway.

But, as long as the boy continued to trust him-a feat that STILL made the man marvel-Vlad could help him bear a burden that fate had downshifted on Daniel's shoulders.

As soon as the boy was fully prepared to shrug off his makeshift burden of _assisting _people. The billionaire had not gotten to where he was today by _assisting_ people.

Sooner or later, it was going to drive the child to greater heartache then he'd already known.

And Vlad, quite honestly, had more then enough of the child being hurt. Let the selfish fools protect themselves, were they desperate enough to use a CHILD as their shield...

He exhaled slightly, fist uncurling and lowering itself in the sudden silence.

The older hybrid still stood by his oath that he had vowed in Germany:he would, once again, do the impossible.

He WOULD make the child forget those miserable wretches. Let the boy take care of HIMSELF for a change. It wasn't as if THAT were an easy task to accomplish in the first place!

And, to be perfectly blunt, Daniel's life meant more to the man then most of Amity Park's general population.

Most of it, if not a very near all.

* * *

Still, the man had to admit that the thoughts-at least for _him_-contained a sad sort of irony. Regardless of what he and the boy continued to do together, Vlad couldn't make Danny's pain go away, as much as he tried. It seemed a practically impossible feat to accomplish; and, while inwardly, a small part of the man already acknowledged this, the more stubborn half of him was unwilling to give in just yet.

But the one thing he could do that would _ultimately _heal it.....was something he could NOT do. He could not let the boy go.

Back when Daniel had simply been a particularlyvaluable, albeit illusive trophy, it hadn't mattered as much. Maddie had always been the spoil to be won once the opposing king had fallen.

Now, when the child would smile at him-would drop a joke, actually show worry outlined in his eyes for the selfsame hybrid that had taken away _everything_ the boy had held dear-

Were the child to accept him as a father, would obtaining Madeline be just as important as it had been, in the past?

Of course it would!

Right?

...........right?

* * *

But Jasmine's threats uttered just a few weeks ago had clarified an unsavory truth for Vlad Masters, once again:

_"I don't know how you made him say all that or how you are making him stay there, but I suggest you drop your act right now! I want my brother back, **do you hear me**? _

_Give him back to us! _

_Or I'll tell my parents **everything**! I'll tell __**everyone**__ your secret! _

**_I'll destroy your life, Vlad Masters! I swear it!"_**

_~*~_

Vlad's face remarkably resembled the same chill that resonated from a statue's selfsame genetic materialat the thought of Jasmine and her pathetic cheer leading squad of brats. _  
_

She wouldn't dare.

Not once he...took care of a small matter or two....and also trusted on the fact that the irritating brat wouldn't REALLY dare to tell Jack and Maddie everything. Danny's life-as well as Jack's, for that matter-was on the line.

He had promised the younger hybrid Jack's life. But what choice would he have once everything-this time, absolutely everything-was lost?

Jasmine had to be lying. Like the man, she had learned to play a good bluff, which Vlad reluctantly respected. Quite vindictive of the little brat.

But, just in case.....she WAS that desperate.....well, he wasn't calling upon those idiotic vultures and ecto-pusses once again for nothing.

But even with the satisfaction and security of knowing Jasmine would not pester him further, her words had still deeply cut into the billionaire that day. As if announcing that he, Vlad Masters, had caused the love of his life to end up injured-quite possibly very seriously.....had not brought him great pain enough....!

He had heard Jasmine break down into tears-and had felt the reflected shock she had felt when she'd heard her brother laugh.

And the girl still did not know it was all for _her. _Her safety, her happiness, her wellbeing. She most likely thought Daniel had abandoned her.

But she deserved those doubts. Vlad was certain of that. Her words had still made him furious-if not enraged.

Torture? They thought he was _torturing_ the boy when, all along-Vlad was simply the one giving the boy what he _needed? _What no one else could or would give him?

Nonetheless, he still winced as he remembered Jasmine's final pleas-which reminded him all too much of the awful night Daniel had finally been broken; broken to be at last, driven to tears.....

He wasn't going to think of that. He certainly wasn't going to dwell on that.

But the proof-which was, no matter how he tried to escape it or shrug it off-was all too present in Jasmine's tears:

"_**Vlad, please!**__ Even __**you**__ can't be this cruel! Don't you see that he belongs with his family?!_

_She had been sobbing by this point-in sheer, panicked desperation and-with bitter pangs echoing its dark refrain-sorrow.  
_

_**"....don't you see that he belongs with his family?!"**

* * *

_

But that had been breaking point, once again, for Vlad Masters.

Dread had already gripped at his insides like a festering tendril the moment Vlad had irritably answered Jasmine's call, and the girl had immediately threatened to reveal all to Jack....

....and Madeline.

But his responses to their pleas for the boy's freedom had not changed:

_No. _

Vlad's eyes frosted over, just as they had done when the sudden thought of the child soaring away from the castle-soaring away into an overflowing blue sky-and not looking back at the castle disappearing behind him once-cast into his mind.

He shook them off, scowling. Miss Manson, Folley, and Jasmine were hopeless, asinine, fools. They did not know a _fraction _of what was transpiring-nor of what Danny needed, instead of their wretched town and their own selves!

Daniel Phantom belonged with Vlad Masters, in Wisconsin, not Amity Park. It was still proving difficult to break that to the boy, but perhaps-just _perhaps_-Daniel already understood that.

But how very like him to deny it. It was only understandable, seeing as the sadness never completely left the child's eyes, even when Vlad would watch the child laugh. It was always there-a shadowy reflection lurking behind the masks that Danny always hastily covered himself up with.

And the boy was an awful liar. The masks never hid his eyes.

Vlad had taken him away from his home, family-and, ultimately, everything he held dear-though the man felt assured that it had been the right thing to do.

Or....if not....right, well, suitable for Vladimir Masters' needs.

And that alone, had always proved to be enough of an incentive to act.

Till now.

Shame blossomed-and rippled in the man, but he too, shook it off, albeit with a slight scowl as he stood from his crouch, readying to turn to the door.

Ms. Thomas was certain to get irritated with the constant stream of interruptions she was receiving in a flood as of late-but, as long as Daniel completed the coursework-she most likely would not mind.

This idiocy had gone on for far too long. Either Daniel would come with him to be examined _willingly_-or he would order him, if necessary-or Vlad would simply drag him off.

The boy had been looking nothing short of dreadful these past few days. Had he contracted an illness outdoors-or even, by the river side with the billionaire?

Vlad bit his lip, and closed his eyes, ignoring the trembling of his now tightly clenched fist as he exhaled softly, and turned to the child's bathroom door, faintly wondering if the medicine cabinet had any rubbing alcohol. It certainly didn't hurt to be prepared.

As Vlad casually passed through the door, he found the small bottle in the bassinet, and managed a brief nod.

He personally didn't want the child to believe he was worrying too much altogether, but the odd tug of foreboding he was attempting to dismiss was really getting unnerving, much as he tried to dismiss it.

As he began to vacate Danny's ornate bathroom, he happened to glance to his right, where a slight spot of red caught his attention.

Vlad paused in midstep, frowned slightly, and turned, before his eyes began to widen slightly.

Unbeknownst to Vlad, the very same towel that was currently in the hamper was the one Danny had regularly been coughing into at night, accidentally shedding blood on it, much to the boy's discomfort. _Great. Martha and Patricia were going to have it thrown away. What a waste._

Vlad did not know the boy's thoughts.

But he knew enough, as he stepped closer to examine the fresh bloodstains-

And his breath caught in a violent shudder in his throat, a blank chill resonating in his mind as the bottom abruptly dropped out of his stomach.

* * *

Vlad quickly strode out of the bathroom, heart hammering beneath his rib cage as a snarl caught on his features.

That was it.

The minute he procured that Daniel was alright, he was going to kill him.

Which readily made sense.

The man allowed-in a sudden, icy shock of black illumination around his waist-a pair of onyx rings to steady themselves around himself as the man began the all too familiar process of transforming into his ghostly counterpar-

_** BANG!**_

_**~*~**_

_Secondary quote:_

_"Some say the world will end in fire,_

_Some say in ice._

_From what I've tasted of desire,_

_I hold with those who favor fire._

_But if it had to perish twice, _

_I think I know enough of love_

_And of hate,_

_Ice_

_Is also great,_

_And would suffice."_

~*~

As the door was abruptly slammed open-Ms. Thomas, being now too ruddy in the face to do little more, sagged slightly, hair disheveled, and glasses askew.

As the man was about to cast her a bewildered look, his alabaster countenance abruptly turned ashen at the sight of Daniel's unmoving body perched precariously on her own shoulder, and his heart skipped a beat as the supplies he had lodged in his arms went crashing to the ground.

Vlad raced forwards.

**"DANIEL!"**

~*~

_Whew!_

_Yes....this chapter was mainly focused on Vlad. You'll see why later-the next two chapters are ALL Danny. That, and two characters I wasn't expecting to bring in, but I thought they were the ones that Danny (other then Vlad) is going to need the most._

_Whew! Sorry I haven't updated for awhile-this story certainly has given me a run for my money! Heh! Thing is, I decided to transfigure this into a four...hopefully not five......chaptered fiction. It took a lot of debate-seeing as this was ORIGINALLY supposed to be a one-shot! ^^_

Darn plot bunnies bringing friends. *Cuddles bunny.* Ah, well. I hope to work on the rest of my projects for a bit-and take care of my homework, which always comes first-before I come back. But I'm bursting with ideas, and, if I could make time stop...as well as headaches vanish...I'd spend my time completing every single fiction before I'd let it go back to normal!

Adieu, everyone!


	3. Chapter 3

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

Twilit Borderlines

~*~*~

Hallo, one and all. ^-^ I hope you're doin' okay. :D

If you've read DoaS, you may recognize someone this chapter. ^^ It's very brief. Sorry, Pearl-I had to borrow her for a minute.

One of my reviewers-The Dark Lordess of Sarcasm-accidentally had her name cut off when a fuse burned out and a bit of work went with it. Grrrr. That was totally my bad. _Twilit Borderlines_ is dedicated to her, personally-and Pearl84, of course, as always. ^^

So, this segment is dedicated to you all who have chosen to stick on my crazy versions of _Checkmate for so long when it doesn't even come CLOSE to the real thing!_ Merci for the awesomesauce reviews! *Goes red.*

And cheers to Sparteen, who gave my Vlad plushie a Plasmius outfit! Whooo! Now I just need to get him another widdle outfit for him....maybe I can give him and Danny a little matching tux, like when they were in Berlin. *Squeaks.* That had to look debonair....or just, really, really cute!

And also-toast to bluegoo2, who is not only a very earnest and most intrepid reviewer- bg2 allowed Danny to buy the Packers from Green Bay.

Huh boy. How he managed, I will never know....but now, Vlad's PARTICULARLY interested.....^^

Okay. Enough of the admiring of plushies and the laughter at the expense of one of our much loved fruit loops. Time to get something off my chest:

Checkmate actually helped me during an extremely difficult time for me. Last Summer, I was on a visit with a guardian of mine....who said, by legal jurisdiction....I was under their said 'parental rights...' and, I was not permitted to go home.

It was an extremely panicking time-and I felt more then fairly betrayed. A little time went by-and I found myself inexplicably drawn to writing Fanfiction. Which is kinda why....uh....I began to write as much as I possibly could in one day. My guardians had to go to work most of the time, and my fingertips were mostly at the keyboard.

Checkmate has received quite a bit of recognition in the DP archives. Not only does Pearl manage the enormous chapters (Much to our happiness but we're always left wanting more...! :P) but she's kept it up for a pretty long time. Very nice.

Then there's the whole story itself. It's an intersecting saga of the dry humor found on DP, classic heartache and not-so-classic heartache, adventure, some of that hurt/comfort that makes us wanna cry, drop-dead battle scenes, foes at head with themselves-and the entity they call fate.....

......you know what? I'm just gonna shut up now, while I'm ahead. ^^ Sorry, Pearl.....

I felt I could relate to Danny's homesickness and loneliness. But I felt extraordinarily guilty as I began going over the chapters, mouth popping out more then once.

Danny had to...and has to....deal with SO MUCH more then your 'average teenager....'

Considering, he does a magnificent job. If he can do it, why can't I?

......well, maybe that's the wrong term. I'm a little older then Danny, and, well....what I would NOT compare between us is....

"If HE can fly, why can't I?"

*Throws self off roof, wriggling arms.....

....and finds, that no, I CANNOT, go ghost. Crud!*

Maybe these one-shots are a little silly. Maybe it's not as good-and maybe my style is a little funny. But as long as I have permission, this silly little fangirl can at least leave a (hopefully..?) halfway decent tribute. ^^

Another chapter to go, then, the door closes on this little "One-shot." Lol! Whatever the heck happened to that?

.....ah, well. ^-^ Que sera sera, aye?

Anyhoo, people tell me I'm not a hand bad at angst tales....though my specialty is hurt/comfort. Heh! We're going to have a touch of both here, folks.

Thank you so much for your support in these fictions, everyone! Once I finish these CM one-shots, I have two more oneshots (One for DoaS and one for TMNT to complete....) then, I need to begin working on my insane list. Oy, vey.

* * *

Okay. Am halfway done with Epitaph. I finished Frozen April Moon (Maddie's story) and later, I have a Dog's Life to complete. ^^ Wish me luck.

* * *

_Quote:_

_"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,  
And sorry I could not travel both  
And be one traveler, long I stood  
And looked down one as far as I could  
To where it bent in the undergrowth;_

_Then took the other, as just as fair,  
And having perhaps the better claim,  
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;  
Though as for that the passing there  
Had worn them really about the same,_

_And both that morning equally lay  
In leaves no step had trodden black.  
Oh, I kept the first for another day!  
Yet knowing how way leads on to way...._

_......I doubted if I should...**ever** come back......."_

_~*~_

The world had been well visaged in a murder of vacant, uniform distress as Vlad staggered forward, lapis lazuli eyes widening.

……………………………………..

……no…..

Ms. Thomas silently shot him an imploring, hopeless glance as she uncertainly propped the child now beginning to slowly slide in her grasp up, biting her lip as she did so.

Daniel looked…..dead.

His face-which had been a clear canopy of damask before-was now completely, deathly, ashen pale. Nonetheless, scarlet traces still ran from the corner of his mouth-near his jaw line.

Forehead now drenched, though nonetheless, Daniel was still shuddering-with every arduous, much labored breath slowly heaving from his thin chest cavity-as Vlad ran forward, unable to make so much as a gasp, now that the sound had completely died in him-all of this was not nearly as petrifying as one other, crucial detail the billionaire noted all too well when he wordlessly demanded that the boy be handed over:

Danny's eyes remained closed. There was not so much as a twitch from the motionless young hybrid as the man rushed over, heart pounding like a frantic hummingbird beneath his ribcage.

When Ms. Thomas struggled to oblige in handing the boy over, the man wasted no time in simply-albeit angrily-reaching for the child, and pulling the now….much lighter, still silent boy into his arms, and immediately glancing towards the discarded medical supplies on the floor.

Mentally cursing, Vlad uncertainly placed Danny's body on the boy's nearby four-poster, and placed a hand on the boy's stark white forehead.

Ms. Thomas cast him an uncertain glance as the man just as quickly withdrew from the boy's aflame flesh, wincing slightly.

_This was not happening._

_This was not happening._

_This was not happening._

But what made every fluttered heartbeat in the painful seconds that were rapidly passing by worse was the knowledge that still radiated from the panicking Vlad as he made his way outside the hall to the nearest loudspeaker-hesitating for a second, just one second-in the doorway to cast the boy an apprehensive glance, blue eyes narrowing softly with distress.

….as well as concern for the little hybrid:

_It was._

With a slight shake of his head, Vlad rushed from the room, heartbeats still thrashing as he vacated the room, leaving the now trembling professor alone with the motionless boy in the dark room.

~*~

* * *

……

……………

_..2ei-89ehiuyfutdf98-0==896~uik?????_

_.......  
_

_Blank flashes danced in and out of the boy's subconscious as someone bent down over the child, and a cold, trained hand reached for his wrist, cool _

_fingertips ghosting over the trembling flesh as they searched for his pulse point-!_

_..2ei-89ehiuyfutdf98-0==896~uik?????_

Someone was speaking. Danny could tell that much.

But it was an unfamiliar voice, and Danny had to vaguely ask himself whether or not he was quite conscious to discern it as a voice at all-

_"-so, for about…how long, exactly? Did she mention the time that he actually...."_

Danny could not discern very much from the foreign, quiet tone who seemed to own the cold hand that he grew faintly aware was pressing against the side of his head softly.

It was the calm, mundane voice of a woman, much to Danny's surprise. But it didn't sound much like any of the maids'-nor like Stephanie's.

……or Madeline Fenton's.

Another voice-belonging to Vlad, this time Danny could tell-responded to the quiet, cool, and calm temperament of the unknown entity currently inquiring about something to the billionaire.

_"…..about two hours. His tutor said it had been around…."_

Losing interest in the conversation, Danny's fevered thoughts danced away to a scattered dosage, and he bit the inside of his mouth to stop himself from making a noise as his body began to shudder from head to foot once again.

It was freezing.

The boy was burning, but he felt as though he'd been wrapped in a down comforter from the Arctic circle. He gasped slightly, feeling his sore lungs protest in response.

The speaking died down for a minute or so, then picked up with greater intensity.

"Anĝela-he's had this before."

Vlad was speaking once again, though-as Danny was vaguely ready to discern slightly-he sounded slightly tight.

_What was wrong?_

Danny couldn't tell. What was the man so upset about? He tried to say something-but all that escaped him was a few, labored gasps.

Vlad began to speak once more, sounding this time.....

_....distressed?_

Danny shifted slightly, feeling puzzled.

Was he dreaming? The discomfort and fatigue weighing down every particle of his flesh felt all too real. Maybe it'd be better once he woke in the morning.

Danny's eyes flickered as he faintly heard the older hybrid speak.

"Anĝela....I think he's...."

The cool hand paused, wavered for a moment or so above Danny's burning flesh, then, cupped his cheek before drawing back some of the midnight spikes that were plastered on the boy's still burning forehead.

A slight sigh.

".....yes, I believe so. I would not be surprised if the child can hear us. However..."

She paused as Danny's head turned slightly on the pillow.

The woman squeezed her eyes shut, and slowly exhaled, a weary expression beginning to dilute the concern etched on her face slightly.

~*~*~

After Daniel's less than....enjoyable excursion to the Ghost Zone, he'd fallen into a deep sleep for two and a half days. Worried that Daniel might had sustained some lasting damage, the man had finally been at the urge of cracking and calling his private, ghostly physician to take a look at the child.

But, he'd tried to wake the child one last time before he did so, and, to his overwhelming relief, the child HAD wakened, albeit only to pass into unconsciousness moments later.

Anĝela had quite a renown in the Ghost Zone, and the man felt it lucky that he'd convinced her to work under his services. More then often, the young, dead woman had been able to help tug the billionaire through some more than....unpleasant ventures in his own obtaination of ghostly powers....such as those of his ability to summon lightning.

Such exhilaration.

However, the man was going to keep the secret to his grave about the other fact of his obtaining such a power:

It had been terrifying.

With fire coursing through his veins at every second, the ever constant burning in every particle of his flesh and blood.....

.......oh, yes. He'd been very glad of the ghostly physician's aid.

Anĝela was an angel.

........almost quite literally, once you took notice of the wings tapered to her back.

The man slowly shook off the thought as the woman frowned slightly, and bent to obtain her valise still waiting neatly by the hem of her dress in the air. Opening it, and impatiently shuffling through the very neatly organized files, she at last pulled out a small packet and a vial.

"I must admit, I was surprised," she commented, reaching for Danny's nearby jug of water and pouring a generous amount into a cup before ripping open the small packet.

"You never call-not unless you truly need help, Mr. Masters. I was worried-and departed from my home soon."

She cast a flickering glance at Danny's still trembling form, and-for a second or two-sadness flickered across her eyes.

But, in a flash, it was gone, and she shook her head ever so slightly as she turned back to her work, spilling the powdery contents from the discarded paper into the water as she began to speak once again.

"....I did not know you were currently looking after another...one like you," she commented, wan hands reaching for the flask of water, and she shook it slightly.

The water's silvery sheen abruptly went a vivid emerald green-and, just as quickly as it had come, the glow faded into a slight, glimmering sheen as Angela reached for her vial, and carefully unscrewed the top.

"This _will _taste revolting, I won't lie to you," she said calmly, reaching for a nearby eyedropper in her bag, and sinking the small appliance into the little bottle.

With a slight sigh, she withdrew the dropper, and very carefully squeezed its rubber top to let three violet droplets splash into the herbs she'd steeped in the glass.

As each one fell into the water-leaving a wispy trail of violet, like that of purple blood-she glanced up at the billionaire, a slight sternness entering her brow for the first time.

"But you MUST be certain the child drinks it-ALL of it-once he properly wakes," she said at last, casting a glance from Danny to Vlad, brow slightly furrowed.

She seemed to think about it once more.

"Well...once the child can swallow again," she commented, sounding slightly defeated as her hands found one another, and resolved into a clench.

"I understand that you've been giving the child fluidentary ghost injections to sustain him at these times...?"

Vlad had been gazing at Danny's still shivering figure, wishing he could pull the boy's covers around him. But that would-just as before-only make the child's condition much worse. With a slight start, he pulled back to the ghost, who was surveying him carefully, as if she were reevaluating her opinion on the billionaire.

"Mmmm? Ah-yes. As much as I could extract to help his body fight off the infection."

Angela cast him a glance.

"Please, continue to do so...in mild amounts. The medication can only help so much before the system becomes slightly numb; or accustomed to the treatment in general. Mild amounts will be enough to keep him through the night-and through the month, should he survive."

~*~

......dearest reader.......

Angela had said the wrong thing.

~*~*~

Vlad had violently started, whipping around to face his servant with an erratic frown on his features.

But, as Angela stumbled back and the older hybrid advanced, it did not take much for one to tell his visage was marked with something else:

Panic.

"What do you mean?" demanded the older hybrid, cobalt eyes flashing scarlet for a fraction of a second.

"Angela, do not joke. I AM not amused if you are-"

The ghost began to shake her head, lofty concern etched into her features.

"Mr. Masters-please, I d-did not mean..."

_"Then SAY what you mean!"_ he snapped, whipping around to face Danny's still shaking form on the bed.

Ice had pooled into his stomach just seconds before, and his mind had gone blank at the doctor's words.

They did not make sense.

They were incomprehensible. She did not know what she was speaking of.

But still, her words had resonated most unpleasantly in the man's thoughts; for they had been most uncertain ones, at that.

And they made him convulse with a dark, etching feeling of foreboding and dread:

"Mild amounts will be enough to keep him through the night-and through the month, should he survive."

_"..................should he survive."_

* * *

~*~

A cool breeze played at the man's silver hair as he gripped the marble of the balcony support, feeling nauseated as he continued to watch the sun lazily set over a mound of deep violet and casting fresh green.

Spring had finally touched Wisconsin after a brutal season, and, while the man would've normally been glad of it; quite frankly, it was difficult tio care now, either way.

A hand tentaively touched his shoulder. The billionaire ignored it too as he stared out over the woods, staring, but seeing nothing as Angela spoke once again.

"...forgive me, sir. I...." she paused, casting an anxious look at the man's features.

He was listening. With an inaudible sigh of relief, the physician went on:

"I.....did not mean to sound so flippant. I must beg your pardon, if I sounded so."

Vlad still said nothing. Angela went on:

"....the child....he is....thirteen? Fourteen? Twelve?"

Silence for a minute or so. Angela was not at all sure whether the man was going to speak, but, at last he did, albeit monotonically.

".....fifteen."

Well. The child certainly didn't look it, but the woman managed a slight nod.

"......ah. Am I correct in assuming he is...not your son?"

Angela was just pressing all the wrong buttons today. The man froze, blue eyes narrowing into cold slits as his grip upon the marble banister tightened exponentially, knuckles beginning to turn white in color as his grip continued to increase.

He did not say a word. Angela's eyes flickered.

"....I see, sir. Forgive me, sir."

The man still said nothing. The doctor lowered her head slightly.

~*~

She did not have to physically touch the man to know that her words had been full of quite an impacting sting, like she normally would have to. Her abilities compromised of the sensation to feel and replicate symptoms in her body for just a few seconds-just a few, split seconds-for her to diagnose a proper term for the malady at hand after feeling a shadow of the problem. This ability was quite easily used, seeing as it was triggered by something so small as contact.

But, ever since she was first starting as a...ghost, back when she had been still alive....the ghost had other slightly....unusual abilities at her hands.

Rather like that _beastly_ woman-Spectra-Angela could was intoned to...other maladies. Ones that were not of physical harm or virus.

Oh, no. Touching a patient could sometimes have its...less then enjoyable experiences. Sometimes, Angela wondered if she should had been a psychiatrist rather then a physician with such an ability.

It was one sometimes Angela was grateful to possess-sometimes not. For, just as long as she felt contact with the person who had a malady of the heart or soul that had never been resolved, well......

The first time she had touched Vlad Masters-when she had shaken his hand at the point she had entered his services-it had taken all of her well obtained skill not to flinch, or yank her hand back, shuddering.

She had wanted to cry. For the first time in years, Angela had wanted to shatter her calm demeanor and _cry_-cry like she had never done so before, even as a little girl-at the misery in this man.

The ache of his own heart was overwhelming. And, the bitterness-the potent, potent _bitterness_ that was tangible enough to taste.....

_How could anyone stand it and be able to stand and talk so formally as Vlad had done so?_

Vlad had, at the time, cast her a puzzled glance at her pained expression, but Angela just claimed she was feeling dizzy, herself.....

* * *

Angela could only experience a shadow of Vlad's own emotion, but she was not eager to reexperience it often.

The anguish and anger-and the_ hatred_-was overwhelming. Angela had felt so....dirty afterwards.

And it hadn't been too much better touching the little hybrid, either.

~*~

_Fear. Fear, gnawing pain, burningburningburning while he froze to death-every particle of his flesh screaming for release-!  
_

And that had been bad enough to experience his physical pain.

But_ emotionally...._

~*~

There had been no hatred in the younger hybrid, as there had been in the elder. Resentment? Yes. Angela experienced an odd wave of the bad tasting emotion towards the billionaire herself, before blinking and shaking it off.

There was fear. Poignant fear. But it didn't seem connected with his own safety. Angela never thought she had met a more peculiar soul.

He seemed....afraid.

_Of himself._

As if that were not unusual enough.....

* * *

There, too-had been tremendous sorrow in the little hybrid's heart. The rippling, howling rage of the quiet sensation-the pure sensation of grief-unnerved Angela.

_How she had wanted to hold him and heal it....!_

But, as Angela watched the sun slowly sink over the horizon, she had to sadly shake her head in defeat.

This....was not a wound....she was capable of healing, this time.

~*~*~

At last, as the two trudged back inside, Angela found her voice once again.

"Sir.....? He has had this infection before. Perhaps not this severe-but, nonetheless, it may be easier for him to fight off, now. But," She paused, looking at the surprised man directly in the eyes, "He should remain in bed until it blows over. And-keep him in it for a day or two afterwards, if possible. You do not wish to trigger a relapse."

The billionaire managed the faintest smile at the thought, the corners of his mouth twitching ever so slightly.

_Keep the child in bed when he already felt better...._

_.....easier said then done._

Even when he WASN'T feeling well, easier said then done!

But the woman wasn't finished yet.

"Make sure he gets plenty of fluids. If you must use an IV, do so. From what you have already said, the boy has been in grave condition for a little while. Normally, seeing as he is indeed a human child, I'd recommend you take him to the hospital, but...."

She shrugged helplessly. And Vlad understood.

He could keep Daniel's ghost half from under detection-even at such a dreaded place as....

................

..................well, Vlad had had....experience, but......

............the man hated-no,_ loathed _hospital facilities. It had been bad enough going into one to visit that accursed little brat, Jasmine. Too many memories more bitter then good.

But, were it for Daniel's sake....it would be more then readying for the man to...as Daniel might say..."Suck it up."

Still, that wasn't the true reason Vlad would not-could not admit the child into a medical facility.......

~*~

Obviously, he could not check the child into a hospital. That would prove to be disastrous in more ways then one.

There was the ever present risk that Danny would be recognized as Maddie and Jack Fenton's missing child. Although the government had ceased, for the most parts, to send search parties to look for him (It was pathetic, really; how easily they gave up....) his countenance and name had to be well known by now to the authorities. The Fentons would make sure of that.

Quite clearly, he would have to say who the child WAS. And, though he could easily lie and claim the child was his own, the paparazzi would be on him and Daniel in a heartbeat, were they to "suddenly" find that billionaire typhoon Vladimir Masters had a teenage child no one had ever, ever heard about....

Annoying as it would be, his concern for Daniel's safety hadn't changed. The media was a heartless entity-and it was unlikely that they would leave even an ill child alone, once they took interest.

It would only be an invitation for trouble.

Daniel would be recognized. Sooner or later, the society would put two and two together, and.....

He shook the thought off.

No.

No-he couldn't take the boy to a hospital. He could well afford the equipment-he would have to simply take care of the child himself.

* * *

As Angela gathered up her things, Vlad politely extended her hand. Angela glanced at her hands-saw, to her relief, that she was still wearing gloves, and then shook the billionaire's hand.

Vlad could never understand why Angela was so unaccustomed to polite habits such as these. Perhaps the rural part of the Ghost Zone still did things rather differently.....

Nonetheless, he thanked the Doctor as she handed him Danny's prescription, and, just before she began to turn to go, as an afterthought, he grabbed her bare wrist.

Angela winced, but said nothing.

Vlad cleared his now somewhat dry throat in the sudden pause.

"You...ah....didn't say..."

He closed his eyes and exhaled.

"....how bad is Daniel's condition?"

As Angela floated away from the billionaire, and turned her face back towards him, her expression was inscrutable.

"....were I to give you a diagnosis on THAT, Mr. Masters....."

She hesitated.

"....I would believe it....depends. On young Master Phantom himself."

So saying, the woman disappeared in a shower of sparks-leaving nothing but a few, snow white pure traces of plumage behind her in her wake-and a blinking Vlad alone in the dark castle chamber., just as the sun's rays finally dissipated into the night skyline.

~*~

A pair of alabaster hands clenched the damp towel that was still in the icy bucket, and wrung the access water away, freezing water dribbling down the man's wrists as he did so.

After rubbing the still pale brow for what felt like the umpteenth time for a minute or so, Vlad withdrew the icy rag from Danny's forehead with a slight sigh, and moved his fingertips to the still hot pulse.

...perhaps that was enough for now. At the very least, he could Danny a light cover, and give him the medication Angele had left behind for hi-

He paused as Danny began to stir, rag still in hand.

And his eyes widened slightly as Danny's eyes began to flicker....

* * *

.....

.................

....his concussion had a concussion. Danny groaned, suppressing a whimper as freezing water dribbled down his closed eyes.

What was this? Did Vlad have a leak in the roof or somethi-

"Daniel?"

The teen paused in midthought as the man's concerned tone began to take shape to his still befuddled mind.

And, at last, his heavy eyelids began to dispel the darkness.

~*~

It took a few tries for Danny to manage to hold his still trembling eyelids open. But, at last he managed, and, with a slight gasp from his still inflamed lungs, wincing as he took yet another struggled intake of breath, spot slooming in and out of his vision.

A hand tentatively touched Danny's raven hair, withdrawing uncertainly Danny's clouded blue orbs finally focused on him.

".....Daniel. Are you alright....?"

The boy opened his mouth-only to gag in response. With a sigh, the man wiped the corner of Danny's still red mouth, looking weary.

"....I guess that's as good an answer as any. Here. I need you to drink this."

Reaching for a cup, Vlad slowly helped Danny sit up slightly as the young hybrid wobbled slightly on his elbow. Expecting water, Danny allowed him to tip the contents from the cup to his mouth....

....and regretted it almost immediately.

~*~

On Mother's Day and on Maddie's birthday-Jack Fenton often attempted to cook his wife breakfast in bed.....

....and failed heartily. After all, the emphasis on attempt.

Maddie would usually end up gagging behind Jack's back as she painfully forced down every disgusting bite, casting Vlad a hearty smile and a trembling thumbs-up should he happen to look her way.

Normally, Jack insisted that Jazz and Danny be treated, too....though Danny personally wouldn't have minded cold cereal. Quite possibly for the rest of his life if it meant avoiding his father's cooking.

Jazz nearly broke a tooth the year Jack had tried to make waffles, and Danny was home sick for two days from school after trying the oatmeal....though, to spare Dad's feelings, he claimed it was merely the result of eating too much of a good thing.

And then, there was the orange juice which had been combined with grapefruit juice and tomato juice.....which Tucker had tried last year and had nearly required the use of a stomach pump. Sam had tried a bite of a bagel Jack had made.....and, claiming that it was good while tears sprang to her eyes, suggested to the excited man that there was a ghost behind him. While Jack had whipped around, Sam threw the rest of the bagel into the incinerator.

Whatever Vlad was trying to give him, it tasted just as bad.

Danny choked, gagged, and felt the few contents of his stomach begin to twist and writhe as he attempted to turn his head away-but the cup continued to follow his mouth.

The teen was not at all sure what it tasted like-other then something that had died a most unnatural death. He'd rather not go into details.

Vlad managed a slight smile. The child looked, quite frankly, like the man was trying to pour burning lead down his throat.

"Come, Little badger, just finish it. It can't be all_ that _disgusting."

Danny managed to push himself away from the glass for a split second, gasping as the cup again made its deadly ascension towards his mouth.

"Y-you try it, and _then_ we'll see who's being dramatic."

His voice was cracked as Vlad continued to dip the frosty, revolting beverage down his throat, resisting the evermore powerful urge to upchuck. The billionaire spoke up after a minute or two.

"...ah.....I believe I'll do _without_ that pleasure today, Daniel."

~*~

* * *

Whew! I think I'm done.

........aww, what the heck? Have another chapter. It's the least I can do.

* * *

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

Midnight Tapestry: Goodnight, Danny.

~*~

Yes, I'm adding two chapters in one. ^^ The epilogue will come in good time, cheries. After this, I need to update a little bit.....my other stories are gathering Pickett lines and demanding to know why I haven't been working on them....'~'....oh, dear.....

I shall work as long as I can on this segment before moving onto Motherly Affection and Gryphon's Keep.

Note to everyone: Do not, under any circumstances, be so dumb as to publish numerous stories that need multiple chapters when you have other projects to complete. Trust me: The muse is a wonderful, evil thing.

_Secondary quote:_

_"The living come with grassy tread  
_

_To read the gravestones on the hill;  
_

_The graveyard draws the living still,  
_

_But never anymore the dead.  
_

_The verses in it say and say:  
_

_"The ones who living come today  
_

_To read the stones and go away  
_

_Tomorrow dead will come to stay."  
_

_So sure of death the marbles rhyme,  
_

_Yet can't help marking all the time  
_

_How no one dead will seem to come.  
_

_What is it men are shrinking from?  
_

_It would be easy to be clever  
_

_And tell the stones: Men hate to die  
_

_And have stopped dying now forever.  
_

_I think they would believe the lie."_

_~*~  
_

Finally, finally-Danny finished the poignant bitterness and swallowed, flinching as the irritated tissue stung like a wasp sting in protest. Vlad's eyes flickered-and then lowered as a hot, fresh wave of guilt burned at his pallid features.

Should he have waited before administering that? It would be doubtful if Danny could keep anything down-let alone the ground up _kuirikari _mycellium.

Vlad had never tried it himself-but, effective (and disgusting) he knew it to be, it was an extremely difficult plant to cultivate. It generally took at least eleven years before blossoming, and then another four to burst into fruition, but.....

He cast another look at the still twitching Danny; and, with a sigh, covered him up with a light blanket.

"Little badger....."

Danny's unfocused, azure orbs flickered to the billionaire. Vlad opened his mouth, closed it, and tried once again, mentally cursing himself as a light frown touched his features, and the man slowly bent down to a crouch beside the teenager's beside.

For a minute, he said nothing. The clock perpetually continued its perpetual _tick, tick, ticking _sound from behind them as neatly and efficiently, it chimed the hour.

Finally, a scowl creased the billionaire's forehead, and he turned to give an irate scowl at the still pale child.

"Why didn't you tell me......you weren't feeling well?"

Danny cast him a surprised look, but said nothing as his chest began to heave in between his gasps. For a second, the boy began to turn his head away from the man, but Vlad's alabaster fingertips reached for his chin, and firmly tugged it back, eyes boring into the younger's.

Perhaps he was being a bit harsh, but Vlad wanted an answer, and he was not to be denied.

~*~

Danny tried to tug his chin backwards, feeling uncomfortable as the man simply dragged it back, spots still flashing in and out of his vision in an absentminded spiral.

For a minute, the two simply remained deadlocked within their gaze, Danny's chest continuing to burn all the awhile as he could feel-in the back of his throat-the foreboding itch of an oncoming coughing fit.

Vlad paused, clearly waiting for an answer as Danny continued to blankly stare at him.

The seconds trailed uncomfortably, one after another. Finally, Vlad's brow creased with a slight sorrow.

_......ah._

So that was it. Daniel hadn't known how to ask.

Or to trust him to help him. Vlad's eyes flickered.

He really should had guessed, by now. The truth of what oddball relationship the two shared was not so easily swept aside.

As the man began to quietly withdraw, Danny's hands flew to the man's wrist.

Surprised, the billionaire turned, as the teen's eyes closed from the exertion for a second or two. They fluttered open once again, and then fixed on the nearest, inanimate object they could find as Danny spoke at last:

"Don't go."

~*~

That was it. Vlad stared incredulously at the boy-whose eyes were now downcast-still lying on his four poster on his stomach.

He was going to have to call Angela back in. Daniel clearly was beginning to be affected by fever.

Danny managed the slightest, most awkwardest of smiles-or attempts at a smile; he was still freezing, and then, his eyes crossed slightly as the dark, shadowy rings around his eyes came all the more apparent.

"Vlad," he said at last, sounding somnolent as his voice trailed off to a slight rasp.

"......I trust you."

This was out of left field for Vlad. The man stared incredulously down at the child, feeling his heart rate climb slightly at the words that been of mutual consent between the two for the longest time.

And now, to hear the taboo ordinance uttered....was all too strange; irregular, like a well known thesis of fact being challenged with artful evidence.

He cast the smallest of smiles at the boy, who managed a shaky attempt of a smile at himself before suppressing a wheeze.

"....but........it's me.....that I _don't_."

~*~

Darkness had fallen by the time Danny's door opened for the last time that night.

A murder of crows had swept through the unbrushed, emerald Wisconsin Wood near Vlad's manor, opening their beaks to readily screech into the night as they roosted, leaving nothing but midnight blue feathers in the late night chill of the early springtime zephyr.

After that, silence had fallen, save for the wind and clock....

....and the sound of Danny gasping after he'd upchucked. Again.

_____________

Finally, around eleven p.m, Vlad wearily left the child's room, alabaster hand finding his eyes as he faintly made his way down the hall to his own quarters, exhaling softly as he did so.

Just as Vlad had been about to leave, making a mental note to station Patricia or Niane near Danny's room in case he needed something, for the boy couldn't very well call out, after all, Danny had suddenly clapped a hand over his mouth.

Without another word, the boy had ran from the startled man, into the bathroom....

.....and ejected the contents of his stomach once again.

The man had been most uncertain of what to do as Danny continued to splutter-and so, he'd forced himself to awkwardly watch, feeling nauseated himself once or twice....

He'd never been a guardian of any sort; after all, Vlad had been an only child-and he'd never had one of his own. Even taking the hybrid under his protection hadn't helped him learn very much. After all, Danny was most hesitant of showing severe signs of weakness.....even if they occasionally slipped past, despite the child's intentions.

And what does one do when they watch someone being violently sick again....

......and again......

...............and again...?

Vlad had kept his distance by the door frame, and, after Daniel finally concluded, withdrawing with his head in hands, only then did the man uncertainly come to the hybrid's side, and, with a sigh, pulled out his handkerchief to dab at the boy's streaming eyes.

Daniel had finally fallen asleep, much to the billionaire's relief. Running a multimillion dollar company that extend its reach beyond the national to global scale?

He could do.

....taking care of a pneumonia stricken teen....

......what could he do but rely on instinct?

The man paused in midstep, and slowly turned back slightly, eyes finding the door he knew to be Daniel's.

Doing his best to ignore the chewing urge to once again check on the child, Vlad finally pulled back, and made his way down the banister once again.

Daniel would be alright in the morning. He just needed a little time, was all. The child healed extraordinarily quickly; even for someone who was a ghost hybrid.

So what had Angela meant, exactly?

_"....I would believe it....depends. On young Master Phantom himself."_

That was nonsense. Of course it depended on Daniel-and that was why he'd be well enough in five days or so, if Vlad could only keep the child still enough. Once Daniel's stomach could adjust slightly to the fever and begin to fight back, he'd be able to take a special tea or two and _sleep _through most of this misery.

The thought was slightly cheering for Vlad, and his step increased slightly.

Daniel would be fine. Vlad could simply buy the equipment necessary to keep the child safe. Obtaining it would be exceedingly simple-so even if the pneumonia contracted into something, if possible-worse-why would Daniel.....

Lose?

Vlad threw the dark thought off, ignoring the ripple that was penetrating his body.

Of course he was aware that Daniel _could_ get hurt. Could bleed, could suffer, could cry. That horrid incident in the Ghost Zone was all the painful memoir the man really needed.

....and practically all of it was more then he wanted.

But Danny _could _fight this. Vlad only wished the child didn't have to. Especially not by himself.

But, in a day or two, things could right themselves and he could continue being teased and mocking the child back, feeling...lighthearted with the boy. For the most part. Their tiffs still occasionally....if not often....came to a pass.

Still, the ghostly physician's words had unnerved him. Why wouldn't Daniel be well soon? What would stop him from healing?

As Vlad entered his room, his spirits slowly sank as he pondered Daniel's fevered sentiment:

_"I trust you.....but........it's me.....that I __don't_."

That reminded him of the....interesting conversation and meeting of the minds the two had shared after going horseback riding.

And it made the man sorrowful to recall it, at times.

Daniel didn't trust _himself_? Feared himself-_hated _himself-when Vlad highly doubted there was ever an inclination for him to do so?

Why?

But he would change that, all in good time. Vlad had already sworn that to himself. Just like the boy's ever potent grief for his loved ones would be subsided. if the child didn't trust himself to confine in anyone about his pain, Vlad couldn't employ the most effective solution-but he_ would _simply make it all go away.

It was as simple as that, wasn't it?

....wasn't it?

Of course it was. It had to be.

So thinking, Vlad closed his own door.

It would...be alright. Everything would be.

Soon enough.

Things could only get better for the younger hybrid.

~*~

Most unfortunately, my dear reader, Vlad was incorrect.

~*~

The next day dawned readily, as it always does, regardless of the mischief the wraiths of the witching hour have gotten to with thus idle hands.

And Danny was still freezing.

Now-he could feel a tense bit of the temperature licking at his flesh occasionally, and, curled into a ball, covers draped around himself-the child often had just a split warning that the fever was going to rear, thrashing exponentially-and Danny would blindly throw the covers away from himself, crying out softly the next minute as ice began to pool into him once again, leaving him as stiff as a frozen corpse.

Vlad had been readily expecting a meeting at Dalv's headquarters in the city that day as he came into Danny's room, the look of concern steadily transforming into a look of alarm when he took Danny's temperature once again.

With a whip of his cell phone, he informed his exceedingly irritated board-of-directors that he would not be attending that day.

~*~

A day went by.

And another.

And another.

And still, Danny burned.

And continued to freeze as well.

Danny couldn't bring himself to be very hungry anymore. If he wasn't blankly staring at the ceiling, seeing as his mind was now too distorted to read or watch TV-as if the lightning flashes of agony striking his skull would allow him to do so-the boy was faintly stirring in and out of waking dreams. The trays that a somber Martha or Patricia brought in were ignored, for the most part-because Danny couldn't swallow.

_If the child was not dryly gagging, blankly running in and out waking dreams that he could only faintly have a sense of-the faces of Jazz, Mom, Dad, Tucker, Sam-!_

_....and the own scarlet orbs of his dark future, insane chuckle reverberating in Danny's ears as an evil-an absolute, truly __evil smile found his features._

_His elder form would turn-fangs glinting as his palms abruptly went scarlet-scarlet, like the golden flames that were dancing around the mangled ruins of Amity Park, people flooding the streets, screaming-_

_"Can't run from me forever, __Daniel," he sneered, a faint hint of Plasmius' own voice crudely intermingled to alchemize his own._

_He would step forward, eyes looming in the darkness._

_"Actually, you never could run from me in the first place, now could you....?"_

~*~

The hysteric screams from Danny's room had the billionaire sprinting to him, only, to Vlad's distress, to find the child silently weeping in his pale hands.

The night dragged on. Unable to discern Vlad from the hundreds of hallucinations stalking his mind-Danny took no notice of the panicking man as a breather was fitted over his mouth, ragged and disjointed breathing only rapidly disfiguring to become all the more so.

His every nerve fizzled with electric pulses going haywire--his heart raced painfully in his throat at a speed that would have killed an ordinary human, were it sustained-!

~*~

The days went by. It was only occasionally he, Danny, could say anything at all. Myriad and paler-paler then a corpse-the hybrid couldn't seem to much sense in his rare, short sentences to the now panicking billionaire.

One such afternoon-eight days after Danny had first fainted-was as so:

Vad had been hurrying to refill Danny's flask of water when the younger hybrid spoke, in a pained rasp, at last.

"Dad....."

* * *

Vlad had, quite literally, frozen dead in his tracks as the young hybrid turned, over and over again, a faint frown on his face as his fingertips unconsciously ghosted near his breather mask.

"........."

* * *

"...........Dad...."

Vlad raised an eyebrow, his brow readily creasing as he uncertainly made his way over to the child, who was now blankly staring at the wall, once crystalline blue orbs now, to Vlad's dismay, opaque, clouded shades of fevered light lazuli.

Was the child hallucinating again? Or, was he....

Vlad shook off the thought, albeit a bit sadly as Vlad's hand found Danny's forehead once again.

He winced, and withdrew it, before burying his own face in his now, shaking hands as he sank into a nearby chair, faintly listening to the continuation of Danny's pained, inane babble.

* * *

Vlad swallowed past the knot of cords that was his throat, feeling ready to become violently sick himself as fear-hot, sickening, tremoring _fear_-swept through his stomach.

Why?

Why wasn't anything working?

He'd obtained all the machinery necessary to help the boy-and the medication the billionaire continued to give him daily in injections coupled with the same, human vaccines for pneumonia-

He'd followed Angela's instructions-didn't move the child, did his best to help him lower the child's influxing temperature-

So why? _Why? _

Why wasn't Daniel pulling out of this? Why wasn't the boy able to speak?

He shuddered, suppressing a noise by biting the inside of his mouth.

_**Why was the child still in so much pain? **

* * *

_

What was Vlad doing wrong at all-if anything?

The man felt liable to be sick himself as he watched Danny convulse underneath his covers, pained grimace still frozen on his face.

~*~

The room was beginning to have the slight scent of a medicinal ward, seeing as how the man wass forced to continue administering the potions Angela had left him.

He'd summoned the Doctor once again of course, only to have her, after a brief examination- cast him a brief, but nonetheless sorrowful, pitying look before she withdrew her fingertips from Danny's still searing flesh.

"Sir.....the malady will not be resolved by any means of my doing. It must be done by your hands....or the young Phantom's."

She had quietly gotten up to leave, advising that the man double the antibiotic doses.

Angela paused once more, turning to face the still shaking Danny, sadness cast into her face as she finally concluded her former statement.

".....else, the child will be lost."

* * *

Sitting in a dark room, listening to raindrops quietly splashing and pattering on the stone of the castle-staring at his clasped hands, V;ad finally understood.

And it had nearly began to break him into panic.

If the man didn't do something-anything at all....whatever he was supposed to do to combat the _something_ inside of the younger hybrid-something potent-and vicious-and, by the hour, growing ever more mortal-!

Daniel was going to die.

The man's mind glazed over into white oblivion as he grabbed the arm of his chair to steady himself, now feeling most violently sick as his panicking, stricken mind rang with the finality of conviction:

_Daniel was going to die.

* * *

_

The castle was somber, these days. Vlad kept missing more and more of his work, so preoccupied was he with the child.

It was only after his realization, however, that he went to bend down by the teen's side again, feeling nauseous as he reached for the boy's limp, motionless arm.

The boy's eyes fluttered, but Danny did nothing.

After a brief silence, the billionaire finally found his voice.

"Daniel."

Danny said nothing. For whatever reason, Vlad's eyes prickled with an only slightly familiar sensation as he swallowed, his stomach now full of rampant butterflies.

He took Danny's arm more tightly in his own.

"Daniel," he said again, albeit a bit louder this time, hoping to stir a reaction out of the boy.

Danny said nothing. Finally, the man squeezed the hybrid's wrist, mouth opening once again.

_"Don't...go."_

It was a plea Vlad had made more then on one occasion-but he'd only made it audible once to the little hybrid. But he'd felt it-felt it so irrationally that it was actually quite stunning for the billionaire-when Dazzler had dropped Daniel's broken and lifeless body to the ground-!

His insides churned with fury at that memory, just as they had always done.

Blood lust and the overwhelming urge to slaughter the fool had been quite...appealing that day. But, seeing as _Walker_ was the one holding the ghost in captivity, then.....

The hint of a well satisfied smile ghosted Vlad's features. But it vanished almost immediately as he remembered the occasion he'd first brought a broken Danny back to the castle-

He'd been helpless. Just as he too, now-was helpless.

He buried his face in his hands once again as Danny slept on, breather readily beeping every so often from the oxygen tank still beside teh child's four poster.

The hybrid was Vladimir Masters-one of the most wealthy men on the face of this Earth. He was Vladimir Plasmius-the all but invincible one.

And he was helpless. Completely, and utterly helpless-despite an army of resources or wealth-what could he do to save the child with them? Daniel simply could not be bought.

The child was like diamond, in that regard: he COULD break, but never bend.

A small, sense of amusement and pride drifted to the man, but it again, dissipated under a tapestry of darker memories.

_Vlad didn't know what he would do if the teen didn't make it out of this. He didn't want to lose him. He couldn't lose him. Whatever kind of life the man had would fall to pieces without Daniel. Not even Maddie would be able to fill the void that would be left in him. _

_If the young hybrid died, so would he._

**_If the young hybrid died, so would he._**

_~*~_

_He **would **die shortly after. _

That conviction had not changed. Rather, to Vlad's anguish-it had only grown all the more ever since the child began to offer him faint smiles-genuine ones, compliments and teasing remarks-

Danny had overcame hatred for the man who stole away everything that was dear to him. If that was not a tremendous feat indeed, Vlad did not know what was.....

......and now, after all of this-after months of walking alongside the teen-after pulling him from certain death-and the child doing likewise, on one occasion.....

He was going to go away.

The boy was going to leave the Earth, leave his family, friends....

....and Vlad behind.

But the man wouldn't let him.

Tightening his grip to an almost painful degree-as if he could tug Daniel back from the skeletal fingers of death-and bring him back to Wisconsin, back to daily lessons, back to practice sessions with the older hybrid-

Vlad managed a shuddery gasp.

"Daniel. Don't go."

Danny still said nothing. The prickling in the man's eyes was growing more intense.

"You won't. You can't.

You can't.....leave. Don't."

The next words, Vlad was positive he would not utter at all-were the boy to show a shred of consciousness.....

Nonetheless, he still bent to whisper in the child's ear, fruitless he knew it to be:

_"You can't...leave me alone, here......."_

* * *

A minute went by. Vlad finally tore himself from the room, casting a weary glance at the storm still raging about outside as he did so.

The raindrops never ceased in flow.

~*~

Another minute went by, judging from the nefarious ticking of the malicious clock.

And another.

And another.

At the moment of the fifth passing, the occupant of the four poster wriggled slightly.

And he slowly pulled the mask off from his face, albeit with a slight sigh.

Danny blinked, hazed blue orbs staring blankly at the wall for a minute or two, watching, but seeing nothing at all.

Finally, comforters rasping slightly from his skin, Danny dragged himself out of bed, immediately seizing the nearby wooden poster of his bed as his feet finally touched the ground at last.

The world began to rapidly spin, and Danny gasped slightly, feeling his already throbbing headache begin to burn as the hybrid took deep breaths to steady himself.

Nine days of near motionlessness.....

After a minute or so, the hybrid finally released the pole, albeit reluctantly as he staggered forward an uncertain step or two, then, allowed his body to phase into his ghostly counterpart.

It was not without effort. Danny held a hand to his head as he slowly drifted over to the balcony, resisting the urge to whimper or moan.

~*~

How long had it been since he went for a flight?

Danny didn't know, and didn't care as he took in the storm, green orbs glimmering slightly.

From every gray cloud flowed a fresh torrent of glittering, opaque water, streaming into the fresh, chilly greenery of springtime. As Danny uneasily drifted outside, the sky immediately took him in as a new target, and began to pour liquid tears on his still trembling form, snow white hair rapidly becoming soaked.

Danny stared at the damp Wisconsin landscape-the now muddy grounds that resulted as a result of over hydration, pooling with water-a cardinal eagerly swooping to his warm home in a nearby hollowed tree, anxious to get away from the onslaught of the relentless wind and rain.

Wet, twinkling hair was now vaguely flickering in accordance of the wind's direction. Danny glided a bit forwards, till he was directly above the balcony banister.

And he flew on.

* * *

What direction he was going in, he didn't know.

And, once again, did not care.

_He wanted to go home._

Forgetting his convictive reasons to stay-so stained was his mind with fatigue-he glided on the span of the wind's fingertips, breath making a slight puff in the cool air.

He wanted to go home.

The ache for Amity Park-for home, for Mom and Dad, Jazz, Sam, TJ, Tucker.....had blossomed once again to full capacity in his chest cavity.

He couldn't take it anymore.

He didn't want to be here anymore.

~*~*~

As Danny absentmindedly drifted, determined to merely keep flying, even as he entered the treetops of the Wisconsin woods, he found his thoughts vaguely intersecting to that of another one.

He had to get home. He'd kept them waiting, and so, he had to keep moving for Amity.

It just go so-even with the other hybrid who SHARED his condition-shared it for twenty, bitter years.....

_It just got so lonely._

And Danny was tired. Tired of being weary, fed up with the constant pains, both physical and mental-

He wanted to go home.

And nothing was going to stop him from leaving this time.

Logic tried to brush faintly at the disoriented phantom's thoughts, but nothing broke through.

He forgot that Vlad held Jazz's life in his hands-forgot that he had sworn fealty to the man, if only to see his loved ones one more time-!

He kept on going.

~*~*~

Floating near the selfsame cliff that Vlad had worried Danny would throw himself over-which the child had done, only to phase into his ghost form the next minute-he went on.

Past another cliff, and another, and another.....

Danny began to drop slightly as the rain continued to pour down, leaving the hybrid now absolutely soaked to the skin. He coughed and spluttered, vision becoming quite distorted as his eyes hazed over with the-

_"!"

* * *

_

With a flash of twilit rings, Danny phased into his human form, eyes widening as realization-and, in a split second-_panic_-broke through to the boy as he fell.

"Agggh!"

With a faint cry, Danny fell eight feet, landing with a slight grunt on a nearby bush, stars rapidly spinning in and out of his eyes as he rolled onto the muddy earth, gasping for breath as he waited for the world to cease spinning.

After a moment, the boy righted himself to a standing position, wincing as his ankle screamed in protest.

It didn't sound-or feel-like he had broken anything-but he'd simply suffered a bad sprain, nonetheless.

Danny rubbed at red eyes as he stumbled forwards, seizing a nearby stick and alleviating it as a crutch.

Okay, he wouldn't fly. He'd walk. That was fine by him.

He wanted to go home.

~*~

* * *

(Yes, I need to make this chapter extraordinarily long, folks. ^^ Sorry.) Whew! I don't think I've ever done one THIS long before....*Muses.* Hopefully, this will tide you over before Pearl can update once again. Au revoir, my friends-and be of good cheer. ^-^ One more chapter after this one.

* * *

_Third quote:_

_"I shall be saying this with a sigh,_

_Somewhere ages, and ages hence-_

_'Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-_

_I took the one less traveled by.'_

_And that has made all the difference."_

~*~

Danny absentmindedly stumbled throughout the greenery that was beginning to arrive from the glory of Springtime.

But it was still cold.

Freezing, as a matter of fact.

Danny limped forwards-occasionally staggering-but he still managed well enough as the rain continued to plummet to the Earth.

Home wasn't Wisconsin. Home wasn't Vlad's manor.

Home was in Amity Park.

And home was with _them. _

He wanted to see them.

He needed to see them.

The odd, overhwlming craving was now slowly burning a hole through the young hybrid's heart.

And he couldn't take it anymore.

~*~

Danny continued to limp forwards, into the woods.

Past a clearing, down a rocky cliffside-

The hybrid's stick slipped out from under him.

And, eyes widening, he fell, once again.

* * *

Lying there, in a soft pool of cool water, Danny struggled to right himself once again.

And found, he could not.

Panic beginning to bloom inside of him, he attempted again.

And again.

And again.

But still, regardless of what he tried-

Nothing.

Danny's eyes began to burn as his resolve snapped cleanly in two.

Vision swimming in and out of focus, blurring with exhaustion, they also began to churn with something else.

Tears.

And Danny began to quietly cry, curling his aching body into a small ball as hot tears began to intermingle with the cool raindrops ghosting his face.

~*~

As the boy began to quake with sobs, alone on the forest floor, he twisted into a smaller ball, biting his lip so hard it was beginning to feel quite uncomfortable.

He wriggled slightly from the uncomfortable ground, and curled into what little warmth he could still muster.

Cool raindrops were had readily burst from the grey clouds at last. Danny continued to lie there, not caring that he was now royally filthy to head to foot, not caring that the sprain was now throbbing in tune with his pounding pulse and heartbeat

It hurt.

That was an obvious sentiment.

The child began to cry in full gusto, much to his growing astonishment. Was it easy for other people to break down and cry if they so wanted? It was foreign for Danny, at the very least. He envied them-every single person who could call themselves...normal.

Or, at the very least, human.

And home.

And so, Danny lay there, wishing he had that selfsame good fortune at the moment-

The fortune to have never been born at all.

~*~*~

The memories were too much. He'd finally broken once again. Danny dully had to ask himself whether or not it was rapidly becoming habit through his tears.

He had done his very best. Despite his own imminent heartbreak, he had left his home.

But the guilt never left. Perhaps it would become a little more hazy or vague to push to the forecorners of his subconscious, but it never entirely vacated him.

Was he…being selfish, trying to do what hopefully was the right thing? Even if in the end, it still proved pointless?

Vlad was never going to let him go. He had nothing to offer the man-and still, the billionaire would never return him back home to Amity Park.

Danny continued to sob.

There was a desperate urge that had been gnawing at him from the inside. It was beginning to unnerve the boy somewhat, in his more conscious and coherent phases of thought.

What was it, exactly?

The craving for _something_-what that was, he knew not, but it was becoming more and more agitated with each passing second and tear.

This token of himself was readily becoming distressed, and the boy felt ready to break down into hysterics at this point, unaware of the emerald eyes staring at his broken figure from the nearby treetops.

* * *

Vlad quietly entered Daniel's room with a slight sigh, wondering vaguely whether or not the child had woken just yet. He'd brought a small tray from George. Knowing the child's love for all things Italian, he would appreciate-

The man stopped dead as he entered, steaming tray nearly slipping from his hands.

Daniel's bed was empty.

~*~

Buries head in hands.

Oookay, I'm officially exhausted. Whew! *Faints on the floor.*

We're going to have a few.....very, very odd things to take place, _ma cheries. _Some will make you laugh, others will make you cry, and others will have you blankly staring at the screen, going....._"Whaaaaaa?!"_

Anyhoo, take care, everyone. :D I need a shower-and then, I need a break! Lol.


	4. Chapter 4

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

Malicious Intentions

~*~*~

Hey, everyone. Next chapter is the last. I hope you like this penultimate segment, though. *Shudders.* Things get kinda dark, in some perspectives....

Take care, okay, everyone? Am trying to keep updating at least seven times a week for my stories. Couldn't finish yesterday (Had to do some Valentines Day shopping for my family ^^) but I definitely hope to do so again before I have to leave for my two hour Geometry tutoring session today, and my four hour session one everything Saturday.

Allow me this liberty:

_Yeeccchhhh. ^^ _

Ah, well. Wish me luck, everyone. I'll try to get this updated by tonight. Thanks to Pearl, who, once again, is gracious enough to allow me to continue writing these little side-shots. ^^ Doomo arigatou gozaimasu. And thank you, Sparteen-for the anti-writer's block dust. *Sneezes. Aaa-choo!*

*Sniffs, rubs nose.*

Muchas gracias, mi amigos, for all of support. I'm sorry that I keep losing my dratted material (Goes off to cry into pillow) but Qwerty and Aero (Yes, I name my computers; sue me) can only take so much. Bless them.

* * *

_Quote:_

_"He halted in the wind, and -- what was that  
Far in the maples, pale, but not a ghost?  
He stood there bringing March against his thought,  
And yet too ready to believe the most._

__

"Oh, that's the Paradise-in-bloom," I said;  
And truly it was fair enough for flowers  
had we but in us to assume in march  
Such white luxuriance of May for ours.

_We stood a moment so in a strange world,  
Myself as one his own pretense deceives;  
And then I said the truth (and we moved on).  
A young beech clinging to its last year's leaves."_

~*~

* * *

~*~

It still rained.

And it continued to pour down from the heavens in a rippling sheet as it did so, taking little to no regard of the petite body still isolated in the muck of the Wisconsin wood. Quite the contrary-it readily accepted the shuddering body as an ample target, and the raindrops splashed from the leaves of the old oak that had-like an old man taken pity-stretched its branches like a wayfaring arm over the stricken Danny Fenton, who continued to burn, even as his insides were flooded with ice as rain cascaded through the emerald canopy, and continued to soak the fifteen year old.

A mouse hurrying from the cover of a nearby lily of the valley leaf into the rage of the storm cast the now completely soaked, raven haired, motionless intruder a curious look before scurrying away from the cool wetness into the safe and snug confines of the roots of an old beech tree, vaguely wondering if the newcomer was insane to be in this weather.

The motionless child continued to lie on the damp earth, raindrops steadily washing the grime away from his now starkly pale face, as if offering a modicom of some mercy in the face of the relentless streaks of silver that continued to drive down from a frigid, onyx skyline, made sharp and brittle by the strong gusts that continued to anxiously tug at the raven hair now quite soaked-and plastered to Danny's head.

But still, the young hybrid did not move. And, in his delirious bouts that kept pouring from conciousness to unconciousness to an irregular sort of middle ground between the two, the boy had to dully ask himself if he would ever do so, once again, as his eyes feebly burned in response.

~*~*~

Danny continued to lay deadlocked into his small, fetal position, sappharine crystalline orbs now quite dullened-to the selfsame, colorless haze that had so apphrended Vlad once the child had finally been brought out of the injury-induced coma his exhausted body had forced him into…..and the teen's orbs, upon finally stirring out of it, had stared lifelessly back into the unnerved Vlad's cobalt-looking, but not truly seeing anything at all.

As his aching spine began to jerk from the suppressed coughing fit the young halfa was futily attempting to bite back, the resigned boy had to recognize a bit of what he knew was sanity pouring back into his limbs.

Why he had come out here, he did not know. Despair rippling at him, the boy suppressed a whimper, a most unwelcome surge of memories beginning to sweep over the corridors of his mind, memories of....surrender that were leaving its signature, bitter aftermath in his stomach that-

_**8yr2^UTOYEJO!GUK???????

* * *

**_

_He moaned._

_It was cold. _

_It was cold, he hurt, he** hurt so much-!**_

_The only thing left TO do was to vehemently wish that he had never been born-or, at the very least, had never been forced to come this purgatory._

_He wanted to go home. Home was not Vlad's castle. Nor would it ever be. Not if Danny had anything to say about it._

_He clutched at snow white hair, whimpering all the while, not noticing the tears readily streaming from yellow-green eyes as he did so, every particle of his body sorely aching, fire cascading into his system nonetheless, restlessly churning up into tangible and intangible force-!_

_U(RP(*T^(!*)IP:LGK??????????_

_!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_He would never become evil. He wouldn't begin to die from grief; he would not beg Vlad to cure him of the human emotions that continued to gnaw at him. He would not be alone in the world, he would not let Vlad take care of him willingly-_

_He would sooner follow his loved ones beyond the veil then to be left alone-left alone, just as Clockwork had abandoned him to this misery, alone, as he was destined to be under a roof full of wraiths that hated him, alone, as he knew he was-isolated from the sister he'd given everything to protect, away from his loyal puppy, loving mother and father, best friend, home, and the girl that he lo-_

_IHLGRU^R(UUKMP{)P*(^T(R&%TYR$!RT&GIYLKJF???????_

_Alone._

_All alone!_

_All alone, and in the dark._

_Danny slowly turned around, heart pounding so wildly, it felt ready to dislodge itself in a fraction of a second-_

_And red eyes, bloody, pitiless, calloused red orbs peered at him, all too familiar, all too mad, flames rippling from his scalp as a pair of gloved hands reached for the petrified Danny's throat, constricting in an oblviously painful surge-!_

_.........._

* * *

_._

_~*~_

_Danny continued to sob, as his body burned, much as it had done for days, when his powers started to go haywire, and even Vlad had expressed concern over the boy-but Danny would sooner tear an arm off then ever step a centimeter towards the man he detested and hated and pitied so much-!_

* * *

He had wanted to leave. Just as he had finally cracked and given into his pain to surrender to Vlad, Danny closed his eyes with a slight, embarrassed sigh before angrily wiping his eyes.

Well....he had certainly not for a bout of fresh air.

As Danny attempted to peer past the unfocused haze that was his vision, he sighed as the storm's gale began to confirm his last, fractured thought by listlessly tugging at his thin frame once again. He shuddered.

It was _freezing_ out here. Danny tried to reach for his ghost form once again, but, after a spark halfheartedly faded from his waistline, he had to recognize it as a no-go. He could neither walk, fly, nor teleport back to his room.

So what was he supposed to do? Wait until Vlad noticed him missing? Danny winced at the thought.

Ouch.

The man would NOT be happy with him-this much he could recognize. Danny's eyes flickered once more. Hopefully, Vlad needn't ever find out.

.....once he could move again......

He sighed once again. The rain had, if nothing else, cleared his mind to a less broken stature for him to wearily calculate. Unfortunately, it also made it all the more easier for him to feel the pain crawling into his limbs.

But for now, Danny was simply grateful to be able to think coherently once again-even if his mind did not seem to have the same option. He trembled, overwhelmingly oblivious to the gleaming magenta heel that stepped away from the muck with a disgusted look from their owner's visage.....

Of which she was currently powdering in distress, noting that her mascara had NOT been waterproof in her compact mirror. Feh.

Slowly casting a look of utmost hatred to the wretch lying at her feet, the woman exhaled a long, suffering sigh, and closed her compact with a slight snap from ruby fingertips.

~*~

My dearest reader, I believe you all know the identity of this personage, no?

Nonetheless, I shall tell you, reader, I shall tell you.....

Spectra stepped from the shadows, brilliant emerald eyes malevolently sparkling as she did so, smirk all too evident from the evil-the absolute and appallingly _evil_-satisfaction dripping from her features.

_Showtime._

* * *

Spectra's emerald eyes flashed, ivory teeth set to a snarl as she gazed as the miserable little...rat, or whatever it was the older fool insisted on calling him.

Brightly filed nails began to dig into her palms at the memory of their last-hopefully last-encounter. Although Dazzler HAD run out on her-a feat she was still furious about-the man had nearly destroyed her before she could kill the brat.

But not before sensing the all too potent misery-delicious delicious, all too beautiful MISERY in the man.

Her mouth watered at the memory. It had been far too exquisite-and, like an aged wine, it had been brewed in perfection. Shame she never got to taste....and there had been such a supply, too.....it would rather be like getting that nose job she had been wondering whether or not she should undergo......

The aguish in Vladimir Plasmius, despite his might and power-was dangerously potent. It had been hastily buried under a flurry of thought and distraction-but that made it all the more gilded-and all the more refined.

As puffs of air escaped the boy's lips to disspate into the evening chill, her eyes bored down upon him, a slight smirk flashing upon her features once again.

The brat's pain certainly was no sham, either. She licked her lips, savoring the poignant aura that already seemed to be giving her a facelift....

~*~

She quickly glanced around.

She would have to do this quickly. To avenge her brother-who, much to her despair, had been locked up into the confines of the Ghost Prison for seventeen thousand years by the ever iron-fisted Walker.....

The boy would die. She certainly wasn't strong enough to destroy Plasmius-even with Bertrand's help-but she could at least make the man suffer brutally when he came upon Danny's bloody and broken little body....

She raised a clawed hand, eyes narrowing as Danny continued his labored breathing.

He would die....such a quick death. Such a quick death that would eradicate the suffering he already knew. Shame, really.

And that was when an idea sparked in the woman's mind.

No.

No....she would not kill Danny.

Her eyes gleamed.

Not yet.

* * *

As mist began to settle in the evening outpour, Spectra frowned in blatant disapproval of the violet orbs that peered back at her from her mirror, resisting the urge to vomit.

She HATED the Mommy look, but it was mere good fortune that she was able to transfigure her features so easily.

Slowly shaking her head, Spectra sighed, keeping a safe distance away from Danny's body.

Such a hideous woman....Spectra pursed her lips as she stared broodingly at Madeline Fenton's reflection in a nearby puddle, resisting the urge to reach for her waterproof

So, Vladdie's little boy wanted Mommy back, did he?The red haired woman continued to smirk lightly, and, as her emerald orbs fixated on Danny's still shaking body, her hands-her gloved hands, so equidistant to Maddie's-intertwined with one another in the teal spandex.

Alright, then.....

~*~*~

There are a truly, exceedingly increasing number of ways to decipher if you've truly had-or hadn't-a bad day.

Perhaps it has to do with the little things, primarily-though the big things take their toll, as they seem to be the more recognized.

Recognizing that you most likely have it quite easy, compared to someone-you might just recognize your own complaints pale in comparison to the plight that someone else must ordeal.

You may feel very lucky indeed....and, in spite of rockier territory, you might perhaps note that you are indeed quite the _Fortunato_-or the fortunate one.

....however, were someone to point that out to you, equally strong odds may suggest that you will simply become guilty as well as miserable, and your rotten day may simply become more so in a matter of perspective.

A little girl who got an A on her test and a cupcake at lunch may have already decided she's had the best day ever.....

.....till, she trips on her way to the bus, skins her knee, and decides that it may have well the worst she's ever had.

You may have had a reasonable day that wasn't truly leaning for good OR for ill....and that's just fine with you.

....till you accidentally trigger a fight with your sibling; one you most certainly did not intend to engineer, but one that nonetheless occurred, and left you not only feeling crummy, but absolutely lousy.

You may have lost a shoe you were especially fond of, and walked home (Or hopscotched, seeing as you are now minus one shoe) only to find that your father's gotten a raise at work, your mother bought you a new pair of shoes, and you're all going out to celebrate at a fancy restaurant.

Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. You truly can't know until the final second of the day, and, seeing as you have far better things to do then spend every waking moment of your life staring intently at the nearby clock in the dead of night, counting down to 12:00 a.m and deciding, once the hour has chimed, whether or not anything has occurred to transfigure this day from a good day, a bad day, or a so-so day.

There are many types of days: Good days, wonderful days (Never a perfect day; for that simply does not exist, my dear reader) nice days, fair days, dso-so days, routine days, unpleasant days, days you'd rather not remember, and days that, were they a person, you'd gladly seize around the shoulders and shake repeatably until further notice.

Often, those...memorable days are given greater reflection, and some of those can never be determined or accepted as anything but a day for those who simply roll with the punches till their grave closes over them.

But sometimes, events warrant something so severe that they can give quite a bit of clarity for things to come.

And, as Vladimir Masters desperately tore into the room, staring directly at the spot where Daniel had been trapped in a fever induced hallucination for the past nine days, he thought, perhaps, he could tell the difference.

And, as Vlad found Daniel's quarters to be now minus the sickly hybrid teen, he also thought something else:

The unpleasant vibes that was rippling his frame and the current circumstances could certainly prove that this day could only get worse.

~*~*~

The man wanted to scream.

What was WRONG with the boy? Did Vlad not tell him explicably to STAY DOWN for a short period of time?!

Vlad suppressed a slight moan, and rocked slightly, back and forth-on the heels of his feet, feeling nauceous.

....then again, he had not been at all certain whether or not that Danny-delirious and stricken he had been-could actually comprehend what he was, indeed saying, but......

Vlad nonetheless shook his head again, a scowl visibly creasing the harder contours of his visage.

After Walker's ambush upon the child in the Ghost Dimension-the boy had slept for two and a half days, fell into a dangerously high fever, and had gone to look for the billionaire. Soon after he had primely recovered, the child had immediately gone out another flight......

.....and had nearly gotten himself killed. Yet again.

Vlad let out a noise-one that resembled an exasperated growl and a desperate groan.

How many times was the child going to be in danger at the elder hybrid's home? Vlad was NOT keeping count.....but even once was bad enough. Now, with THIS latest wrinkle....

He knew he should stop being so surprised at these intervals-but it seriously made him ask how the dickens the child was still alive after a year and a half ghost fighting. Seriously, the boy seemed to be making himself a regular visitor to Death's Doorstep-in which fate cascaded him to ring the doorbell before sprinting away.

....but surely Daniel could at least recognize that he was, in no means, in ANY shape to be walking around!

What did he have to do? Chain the boy down?!

The man closed his eyes, and exhaled, burying his face in his hand for a quick second or two, attempting to calm his now ragged and disjointed breathing tearing from his throat-heart beginning to thud like that of a distressed hummingbird beneath his ribs.

Being a child's caretaker must include wanting to simultaneously _protect_ and _strangle_ your ward at the same time. Perhaps he ought to ask Stephanie sometime. She certainly would know firsthand with Annabelle.

But there were better things to be worried about, now. The older hybrid turned around, biting his lip slightly as he did so.

_Where the devil could Daniel have gone?_

The man mentally cursed as he turned around once again, staring at Daniel's long, empty four-poster once again, dread rapidly beginning to bubble in his stomach as he did so.

Angela had said to keep the child still. Vlad had been preparing to give the hybrid his daily medication-deciding to add the extra dose with a shot of antibiotics and more ghostly medications he had tested in the greenhouse some days back-and would, perhaps, give Danny an easier way for his body to gradually fight off the infection.

Naturally, these extracts had to be tested throughly before he would even consider injecting them into the child, but after going through a list of variables, he had, at last-come to a satisfied conclusion on the new medication's affability. If Daniel took a special tea with it-even though getting Danny to consume anything these days was certainly not an easy task-he would force it down the child's throat, if necessary. He did not want to hurt the child in any means, but he was desperate enough to try anything, now.

That had been his plan....until he'd opened the door to find Daniel gone. Vlad's palms clenched into rapidly whitening fists.

Daniel was going to seriously hurt himself in this state! What if the boy had another coughing attack and no one could aid him?

Blue orbs widened.

What if he'd gone outside? In this weather? What if the child had simply been stumbling around for hours, unaware of who or where he was?

A trembling hand seized the nearby wooden post to support the man.

If he were....flying at these altitudes, could no longer hold his ghostly counterpart, and-just as a newly liberated Daniel had swept out for a flight once again after Walker's attack on him-what if the boy phased into his human form, and.....

And.....?

The man abruptly went pale as he transfigured into his ghostly counterpart.

And, immediately, the man frantically began to search for the radius of Daniel's ghostly signature.

* * *

~*~

Danny still did not move as the rain slowly began to wash off some of the filth and grime he had stumbled through before he had accidentally trodden upon something too slick....and now, his ankle was screaming in protest as a result.

The young hybrid could not pull his deadened limbs from the ground.

His head hurt. His throat blistered when he swallowed, bringing tears to sting at his eyelids.

His stomach felt coiled into a thousand knots. He felt liable to throw up once again-in a minute or two. It was only with each labored breath did he manage to fight off the little food he had partaken of in the past few days ready to eject itself up from his stomach and, most unfortunately, through his mouth.

He swallowed, wincing in relative discomfort, as the eyes continued to bore upon him from a distance.

~*~

After a few, anxious seconds, the man started, slightly, before exhaling softly.

He had found it at last.

He's located the feeble signal. Distant as it was-some miles away-much to the man's relief, the flickering flame was still some ways North of the castle.

Without another word, the man phased through the stone walls, feeling the same, unnerving, unexplained.....probing, at the outskirts of his conciousness that really unnerved him.

The anxiety he was falling under the child-again and again-was becoming more frequent by the day. Were Daniel not able to defend himself, Vlad would have most likely secured him inside a padded room by this point.

So thinking, the specter continued to fly on into the sea of rain still pattering down from a darkening skyline.


	5. Chapter 5

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

Conclusion: Tapestry of the Morning, Part 1

_Vladimir et Danny sont attachés par drawstrings rouge de destin. Espoir de pulsation surmonté d'un meilleur avenir! Nya!_

_~*~_

_Salutations, one and all! ^-^_

_We have reached the end of Danny's and Vlad's odd little crusade. I hope you enjoyed the Epitaph-I think I certainly did. Anyhoo, STILL trying to juggle-and it's not going so hot, if you know what I mean. Once I can close the door on THIS project, I can rest a little more easily._

_Whew....sorry last chapter was so short. Honestly, it was giving me a bit of agitation here and there.....and I have to keep typing if I want this completed before I have to go to classes today. *Sighs.*_

_Well, I hope you enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom-nor do I own Pearl's Checkmate. Sorry-but that's the painstaking truth. :D_

_Also-cheers to PinkPanther123, who understood my reference from Calvin's Father. I was NOT expecting someone would recognize it! Lol. And, as always, a toast to pearl-chan, who kindly allows me to create the CM sideshots as I please.....without suing me through the roof. Lol._

_It's quite snowy outside....I hope the folks in Vancouver are doing alright in it. The opening ceremony last night kinda paled in comparison to Beijing's, but it was still pretty cool. :D_

_Quote:_

_"The sky has never looked so blue  
Never a breeze so sweet  
Flowers burst forth in brilliant array  
As April comes to greet._

__

The trees stand tall in their glory  
Tender leaves cover limbs once bare  
Yards filled with laughing children  
Can you match the splendor there?

_There is nothing quite as pleasant  
As a walk in springtime hours  
The bees even harmonize with life  
As they drift among the flowers."  
_

* * *

~*~*~

Danny continued to lay there, unable to feel so much as a hopeful pulse beating halfheartedly from his palms.

From what he could tell, the circulation wasn't quite back into his hands yet, and, even after numerous attempts to stand on his own feet once again, could only fail as the ground continued to sickeningly spin whenever he moved his head. On the third try, Danny had nearly ejected the contents of his stomach again.

He couldn't move.

And, the shroud around his hazy blue orbs was getting ever more distorted when the boy blinked angry tears of frustration from his clouded vision.

At last, Danny was forced to resume his fetal position, more or less allowing the potent misery to wash over himself once again as he curled up into a ball, ignoring the goosebumps prickling his burning flesh as his chest continued to rise and fall with each breath, the owner wincing occasionally when a small dart of pain shot down his spine in protest.

Biting his lip, Danny stared at the damp, soggy leaves beneath him-ones that had newly grown from the nearby oaks sheltering the area....but had soon been brushed down by the wind to the forest floor-where they could no longer brave sunlight. How sad.

Danny squinted, and slowly took a leaf in his trembling hand, twisting it about slightly with his thumb and index finger as he did so.

He sighed, and let it flutter away from his pale fingertips, watching it spin slightly in the air before carelessly gliding away.

The young hybrid watched as the small leaf wildly spun in a slight gale-buffeted by the sharp winds that continued to tear at it-before the heavy blast dilated into something softer-and, out of anything better to do, Danny watched the small green leaf flicker back to Earth under a perhaps more subdued wind-before silently landing into a nearby pond already cosetted in leaves.

The ripples faded from the water-if only slightly. The rain continued to patter down, and ripples still configurated their ready appearance here and there from the drops the sky was still so habitually falling.

Not quite sure why he had bothered watching the spectacle in the first place, Danny settled back into his position, shuddering slightly as the rain continued to buffet him.

He really needed to get back inside. Desperation had lead him-much like a puppy upon a leash-outdoors, to a false hope.

The teen's spirits sank, and he made a small noise.

He could never leave. Not when Jazz's life was seriously at stake, here. Although the sharp pangs of resentment still reverberated in his chest cavity whenever he thought of the microbots still infesting his sister (And he sorely tried, for the most part, to refrain from doing so) he had been....satisfied his sacrifice had meant something, when Vlad had allowed him to visit his loved ones for an all too brief period in Amity Park.....

He swallowed, wincing in vehement discomfort.

Did Jazz believe that her brother hated her? The thought made Danny want to curl up more tightly into his ball, and perhaps stay there for a good fifteen years....or ever. Whichever one came first.

The boy swallowed again, trying to force down a torrent of tears as he did so. Angrily, he managed to swipe them away with a free hand.

He had said things-_awful_ things-to make sure his loved ones would not get more involved then they already had been. To stop Vlad from hurting them, as the panicked rage on the billionaire's face had suggested he was all too well ready to do so for their intrusion....

Resentment spiked in him once more, but he ignored it as his eyes flickered.

Danny was an awful liar-a fact that both his parents, friends, sister-even Vlad-had acknowledged quite a bit. But they had believed him, right?

.....right?

They had left the castle, and Danny had broken down once again. The memory brought intense tidings of shame and bitter sorrow.

When he had vowed to never cry again at the older hybrid's home-he had done so. Lonely as he had been-terrified as he had been that he would somehow end up hurting his loved ones....

......and end becoming the red eyed monster that still occasionally haunted his dreams, even after he had finally confronted his fears about his own powers.......

~*~

_"So much for second chances, eh, Danny?"_

The boy winced, then scowled.

He would never become Dan Phantom. Dying was a pretty good alternative compared to that.

But the boy had had to admit something the night he had finally mastered in transfiguring the cerulean energy to life-and had known the waves of gentle tranquility to sweep over him:

Vlad was right-at least, in that regard. His powers WERE his own. And, while that was not enough to drive away ALL of his insecurities.....

_"You will only lose control of yourself if you allow yourself to do so...."_

Although the boy had hated to admit it-his enemy had become something of a mentor to him. Not much of a role model, seeing as Danny still would not, could not, admit that the man's actions were as justified as Vlad seemed to believe that they were.

Hurting people-_cheating_ people......living with such a saccharine belief-that was as depressing as it was hopeless......

_"Oh, Daniel…truly, I wish it were so. But, you see, __I__ once lived in your 'dream world.' It was long ago, before acquiring ghost powers, before your parents even---but I still experienced it... Until I woke up one day and discovered that that 'dream world' was only that. A dream. A fantasy. Ultimately, it only brought me misery---just like it now only brings you misery as well."_

"Stop," whispered Danny, curling his head deeper into the ball he was replicating, wincing as his words rasped against his dry throat as he did so.

_"No one is ever __truly__ happy, my boy. You can't be. Life, fate, whatever you want to call it, is always __taking__ from those ensnared in its cruel game. And for those who do not wise up to its unkind hand, they end up destroyed by it. That's why in 'my world', Daniel, only __I__ exist. And that's how it should be for you as well. You can't possibly win or obtain what you want if you are more focused on fulfilling other's needs. Why the effort, anyways, when those same 'others' will __never__ lift of finger for you? When they are more likely to __condemn__ you before helping you?"_

That couldn't be right. Danny's eyes shifted, and his breathing began to increase pace, already throbbing chest cavity replicating the effect as it did so.

In...'Danny's World....' as Vlad seemed to put it, there wasn't just HIM. Actually, considering, he wasn't that big of a token in HIS world at all.

The young hybrid felt the raindrops continually pound into his neck as the storm continued to rage on.

But he wasn't going to brush upon that. It was a secret that Danny had kept in his heart for as long as he could remember-from the present day to the hour he had stepped into his parents' newly completed 'Ghost Portal...'

He shuddered again.

The truth was, his own self was simply not of as much worth to him-even with fears and insecurities gnawing beneath the surface-as were the lives of his loved ones. They were his everything. They WERE his life-and what continuously plowed him on ahead to pursue what may or may not lay ahead.

And Vlad had taken him away from them. Danny's eyes burned with tears once again.

In Germany, after being woken by a most hideous nightmare, he had dimly acknowledged, in the midst of his pain, that it might indeed be time to move on. Mom and Dad would want Danny to be happy, wherever he was-and, in spite of the horrible things he had been forced to utter to his loved ones, Danny still hoped they might feel the same.

But, in spite of the occasional laughter-the jokes he would sometimes share with the billionaire that he now relied upon as a distraction-the pain never really went away. Nor did the loneliness. It didn't matter that he wasn't alone in being a human/ghost hybrid-though Dani had shared the selfsame condition. Danny vaguely wondered how his 'cousin' of all sorts was doing.

Although Danielle had attempted to hurt the boy in the past, the boy knew it hadn't been her fault. She had been a newly born individual copied from his DNA-desperate to please her 'father.'

Why hadn't Danielle been good enough for Vlad? Why couldn't he have just kept her as his own child, left Danny alone, and moved on?

Anger now coursing through his veins, the younger hybrid simply exhaled softly, ignoring the thin trail of blood that was trickling from the corner of his jawline as he did so, the raindrops rapidly turning the dark crimson to pink.

Danielle was better off with her own choices to make. She could go to school-be her own person, protector or not-find her place in life, and create a life for herself-with friends, hopes, and family....

The young boy shuddered.

Why had Vlad been so desperate to get his hands on both him and Maddie? Were Danny not to have ghost powers-would he really have mattered as much to the billionaire? He would have been just another variable.

The thought made Danny a little sad. What did Vlad want so badly out of him? Jack would ALWAYS be Danny's father-he and no one else, regardless of what he had said to Vlad in his nightmare just a few weeks ago:

_"I know. I think…I've always…known." The boy's eyes began to close, going in and out of focus, as he continued to slur,_

_"Thanks for every---thing. You'd make a good d-ad after all….fruit…loop…"

* * *

_

He was not going to think of that.

He was not going to think of that, he was not going to think of that, he was not going to think of that.

But the thoughts did not go away:

_"Daniel, for goodness sake! Listen to yourself! Do you have any idea what you are asking me to do? I can't __permanently__ separate your ghost and human halves! It would kill you!"_

And, in the alternate reality, it had done so. Vlad had watched Danny die, horror stricken and frozen in his eyes-

~*~

Vlad had been left all alone-both then, and now. He'd gone to supreme lengths to rectify that situation when there had been so many other solutions....

Danny's heart convulted, slightly.

Nonetheless, it was a little nonplussing, at times. No one had ever particularly wanted Danny-no one ever had, pardoning his friends and family. Danny managed the faintest hint of a smile when he recalled TJ's exurberance at seeing his master again. But TJ was family too-family he sorely missed.

Was this how Vlad felt when he had been in the hospital-and he had learned that Jack was marrying the love of his life?

Still feeling nauseated, still delusional, Danny nonetheless scowled at the thought, attempting to shake his head to rid himself of the memory-but, instead, all he managed to do was to bring about such a spike of pain that the young, fevered hybrid saw stars for a moment or so.

After recovering somewhat, the teen stared broodingly at the moss covered rocks in front of him.

He DID pity Vlad-Vlad all alone in...'his world.' How pathetic. Even Danny-who did truly pity the man-wondered vaguely if even his mom...or even himself-breached the walls of 'Vlad's World.' What a selfish way to live.

Sounded like that creepy show he'd never liked to watch, even as a child....but enough of that. Vlad's words were still all too easy to remember....

_"Oh, please, Daniel, y__ou__ are solid proof of how untrue that is. Do you want me to tell you why you feel free when you look at the sky? When you go flying?" But the older hybrid didn't give the teen time to reply and continued, "It's yearning, my boy. You feel incomplete because you have locked yourself within a mediocre world, trying to defend it; and at the same time, fool yourself into thinking you are like everyone else. You yearn__, __long__, crave__ to be who you really are. You are dying to free yourself from the confinement in which you have placed yourself. All your being is__burning__ to just let---"

* * *

_

_Just as he had then, Danny clamped his hands over his ears, and inwardly begged for it to stop._

_YE&RTL!IKFTEHJ???P!EGFU!&T+_(????!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_He felt sick._

_T&*%^E(&E^ESWBBNPUYPPPSJS!_

_**He felt sick-!**_

_**~*~**_

_"Look......I don't know what sort of people you associate with to make you believe things like that, but I can't believe it---not when I know **good, honest**, and **loyal** people. But even if you were right, that doesn't give us the right to take advantage of anyone---and especially not because we have the power to do it. Just because we **can** do something, doesn't mean we **should**."_

_"And **that**, that is the mindset that will never let you truly be free."_

_~*~_

_That too, was something Danny Jack Fenton had closed the lid on, and buried deep-deep into a creviced abyss inside of himself._

_He would never be 'free', as Vlad put it. Even if he chose to discard his chains-which, in the end, he couldn't or wouldn't let go of them-he would still be the billionaire's hostage-in exchange for Jazz's life._

_Though he now had severe doubts that Vlad would really be capable of slaughtering another human being-and of breaking Maddie, his mother's heart that way-he had no choice but to stay by the billionaire's side, though, were he given the choice...._

_.....he would leave. Perhaps he WOULD glance back, and perhaps he would wonder, if only for a second or two...._

_...but he would rocket away, straight into a star spattered skyline for home. _

_....home.

* * *

_

_There had always been that selfsame ache in his heart-even when he had been a pureblood human. Even as a five year old boy-he 'd known he wanted to explore the majesty that was the open sky-into the mysterious fraction of the universe that was still set out into a concave of the irregular and the unknown-with life only supposedly being located the blue orb known as Eartg._

_Sometimes, Maddie would take the little boy outside on a clear night to do nothing but hold her small child in her lap while they observed the heavens. While Maddie had always been more intrigued by paranormal activity, she had recognized the spellbound look on her son's face in the midst of the emptiness-the open space-and a sea of twinkling stars so close and so very far away....._

_More then often, the two had fallen asleep that way on a Summer's night, much to an amused Jazz and Jack's speculation in the morning._

_~*~_

It become all the more intense since he had become a ghost. Half of his body ached for freedom-burned for it, longed for it inexplicably-but the human half continued to firmly chain it down, particularly ever since Clockwork had revealed that there was a dark ocean of consequence if he were ever to allow himself to go too far.

Vlad had gone down a darker road, and, had most likely long since stopped caring. But Danny had to hold onto his selfmade chains-if only to an extent.

He was chained to Vlad's home-much like a captive bird was. He was chained to his ghostly counterpart, much as he sometimes wished he were not.

Vlad was chained as well-as chained to his own anger and hatred....and desperation for earnest affection-for longer then Danny could comprehend.

But the chains that Danny had-the ones he'd forged, link by link-the ones of sorrow for his loved ones, the loneliness, the homesickness, the captivity....

He had made those willingly, in order to save the sister that meant the world to him. And, despite those chains keeping a restless bird behind bars-one that only wanted to fly away....Danny knew in his heart he could only let it go so far before drawing it back again.

It was a bittersweet notion-though sometimes Danny thought there was a slight excess on the whole 'bitter' part.

_"It's tied down, Daniel," Vlad cut him off, ignoring the teen's reaction. "It's confined to one place when it's meant to roam free. Unfortunately for that creature, it has no way of escaping its chains or confinement. __You__ are __just__ like that horse---except that you have __chosen__ to wear your chains. And you wear them for a world that strikes you down, that doesn't respect you. I __know__ you believe every word I said to you regarding your feelings of longing. I know because it's part of a ghost's nature---__our nature__---to ache for our true potential. Our spirit __needs__ to have, __needs to__conquer__, __true __freedom. And I know I speak the truth because I can see it in your eyes. They glow with your need to let go of everything that's holding you back. They reflect your wants, your true desires, your wish that, just once, for a moment, you could---"_

_"Daniel, I know you're afraid," the older hybrid continued seriously, though he didn't move towards the teen. "And it's understandable. __I__understand__. But, do you not see? You are not alone anymore in all this. You are here, with __me__, where you should be. You have nothing of which to be afraid now. Daniel, I can help you free yourself, my boy---if you'd only let me."_

_"You are here....with_ **me**, _where you should be_. "

* * *

What did it matter? Danny mentally scowled.

He meant his retortal, and felt ever fragment of the prior words.

_"We don't need force and superiority, and definitely not ghost powers, to obtain our desires, Vlad. Sometimes using your own two hands to accomplish something is much more fulfilling---and definitely more significant. You can't learn the value of something unless you work for it. You like playing chess, right?" the teen asked, but didn't give the man time to reply and added, "I don't know much about it myself; but I bet winning a game means nothing if someone just __lets__ you win. It is the work and effort you put into wining the game that lets you __truly__ win. Well, it is that same work and effort that you put into __rightfully__ achieving your desires that really matters. And maybe, yeah, I might not reach everything I want like that. After all, it's always going to be easier to just __take__ things. But you know what? I rather live my life working towards something and never reach it, then, reaching it through tricks and short-cuts. And you know why? …Because it gives me something to look forward to every day. It gives me a reason for living and to keep going when things seem hopeless. You want to know what's left after you've reached everything, Vlad? …__Nothing__!__"_

Clarity rang in him, and Danny, feverish he was, could acknowledge it.

But, looking back, his own words did manage to make him feel slightly surprised at the ringing conviction four simple words had given him.

_A reason to.....live._

* * *

_A reason to live._

Certainly, Danny was often miserable....but that could only be natural. Without his loved ones, however-which he had been so certain consisted of his _entire_ life.....

If that was so, why was he still alive? The confines of death didn't look all that cheery, seeing as death would take both halves of his ghosthood and humanity-but, when Walker had been readying his troops to assasinate him-

He had lay there, body consecrated on the ground, as emerald stains dotted his dying body, soft pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears. Before Vlad had rushed in and seized the boy from the contours of death-

He had been ready to die. With the faces of his loved ones fresh in his mind, he had more or less accepted his doomed fate.

He was going to die.

The arrow wounds told him so as he flickered in and out of conciousness....and, he'd asked his loved ones to forgive him as Walker gave the order to load.....

He had lasted for as long as he could. Or so he thought. Danny had been out of resource, out of commission....

...and out of escape. Had Vlad arrived a fraction of a second later, he, Danny Fenton, would have died that day.

~*~

**_Danny whimpered as a searing blade of pain wrenched itself down the contours of his spine._**

**_It hurt. _**

**_The pain of weakness-of brokenness-that again and again passed into light, despite his very best attempts to deter the tears-!_**

**_RU*OYRO#T_#?????_**

**_It hurt._**

**_It hurt, it hurt, it hurt._**

**_He couldn't move._**

**_He couldn't breathe._**

**_Everything part of his burning, icy body screamed for release-and none that he could know.....!_**

* * *

Danny trembled violently as, with a tremendous amount of effort, he managed to wrench himself halfway from the wet ground, gasping as he did so.

But that movement had been a mistake. His head spun violently, and, this time, the poor boy really was violently sick beneath an old tree root.

For a moment, he perched haphazardly from the trunk of the old oak, gasping violently as he tried to retain his breath.

....and then, the hairs of his neck abruptly stood up as a pair of footsteps slowly made their way towards him.

~*~*~

The boy had gagged, suppressing the urge to shiver as yet another puff of air escaped his mouth from the bonewrenching chill, and, with another tremendous bout of effort, he whipped around, gasping.

And his heart nearly stopped in midbeat as sky blue eyes widened exponentially, shock rippling in every core to his degree, rubbing

.......

In the clearing, across the wood, staring straight at him-

~*~

Violet eyes bored directly into his astonished ones-and ones that were currently questioning his sanity, at that.

It was a face Danny had not seen for months-and one that he had not been at all sure if he would ever see again, bitterly painful the prospect was.

* * *

As rain continued to pour down from the heavens in sheets, Danny's pale, astonished face was now locked upon that of his mother's: Madeline Fenton.

~*~

Whew! Okay.....Spectra is being undeniably and unforgivably cruel in this scenario. *Shudders.*

Final chapter will be up soon-and it will be a little teary. Spectra's going to try and trick Danny over a cliff.


	6. Chapter 6

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

Conclusion: Tapestry of the Morning, Part 2

_Vladimir et Danny sont attachés par drawstrings rouge de destin. Espoir de pulsation surmonté d'un meilleur avenir! Nya!_

~*~*~

*Sighs.*

Well. So we have come to the end of this supposed "One-shot." *Giggles.* Honestly, why I ever bothered to say that silly word when I get a little uncomfortable having more then 6,000 words in one segment is beyond me. *Sighs again.* ^^

And so, the conclusion has come upon us at last (If I don't have to extend this.....AGAIN.) Epitaph was a fun project, and I'm happy-chi that it won the vote. (Because I'm a basic crackpot, I decided to do all four, but since this won by one vote, it deserved to go first. :D) I soon hope to finish up 'It's A Dog's Life.' I accidentally lost the chapter for that tale....again. *Slams head repeatably over desk.* I think that tale-cute as it is to ponder over our favorite Pup's misadventures, is cursed. Things happen to the chapters. Baaadddd things. Scary things. Things I doubt my Postulate teachers would ever want us to repeat. *Winces.*

Anyhoo, yes, candelight brought Spectra back into the picture. Regardless of the fact that Vlad probably scared her off pretty badly-especially after he sent her dear brother directly into Walker's clutches-she's back, and badder then ever. *Shivers.*

Take care, everyone. :D Lauren has rambled quite enough for one day....though she would like to thank Sparteen-chan and Jaylein-Skyler-chan.*Hugs them both.* They were the voters for this story, and, ironically, some of my best inspiration when I needed a good kick. Thank you. :)

And cheers to pearl84, who remains to be (Along with Mikell) one of my Fanfiction idols. Even if I can't create a masterpiece of a storyline, or develop an extremely well written series, I can at least strive to do my best, because of them.

(Also, cheers for pearl for not wishing my untimely demise by writing these sideshots.)

And, if you have stuck with these two idiots whom we love so dearly, *Hugs.*

Doomo arigatou gozaimasu.

Despite the fact that I've yakked on longer-way more then necessary, I just want to get this off of my chest: Why hasn't anyone written a StephaniexVlad fiction yet? ;) ^^ LOL!

* * *

_Quote:_

_I LOST a world the other day._

_Has anybody found?_

_You 'll know it by the row of stars_

_Around its forehead bound._

_A rich man might not notice it; Yet to my frugal eye_

_Of more esteem than ducats._

_Oh, find it, sir, for me!_

_~*~_

_"Daniel?"_

_Vlad's voice had become rather apphrensive as he watched the young hybrid gaze over the rocky slope, where the cobalt river rapids-still twinkling slightly in the rubindant glow of the spring zephyr. _

_He had thought it was no harm to show Daniel this rather nice place. Overlooking the violently churning waters in a small clearing, it merely happened to be perhaps a bit out of the way from the course the two were happening upon in their horseback venture._

_The cliffside-isolated deep, deep into the Wisconsin pines-deeper then he felt the child had ever gone into the wood before-was a lovely, occasional venture for himself-and, it happened to be one of the main reasons he had purchased the castle and its hundreds of acres of land and forest in the first place._

_In the winter, the trees were normally blanketed in a cover of alabaster, and spiraled, shriveled twigs, stripped bare of their midwarmth glory-were covered in glistening ventures of crystalline ice, swiveling in elaborate patterns that glistened in their glory when the rare treat of a sunbeam chose to smile briefly upon the sodden, frozen Earth._

_In the early Springtime-when leaves were just beginning anew upon the treetops surrounding the clearing, Vlad thought it looked just as-if not more so-beautiful._

_The canopy of leaves sheltering the secluded area, where no human footprint had been left behind upon discarded leaves in the occasional, particularly strong gust of wind-was a safe haven. Overlooking a cliff, overlooking the crown jewel of the land itself, where water roared its might below, crashing against the stones-_

_He had wanted to share it with Daniel. And, a small smirk had found his features when they had arrived at the epitome of Eden, or so they called it-when he had noted to his satisfaction, that Daniel had been left too spellbound for words._

_The boy had slowly ventured upon the aged cliff stones, silently overlooking the might of the water thrash below, a most unusual expression upon his face, _

_And, for some reason, it had began to cause a certain trembling, unusual unease in Vlad's already troubled subconcious._

_Why, he did not know. Daniel's face was thoughtful, and carved into quiet solemn as he took in the enchanted place, skylike eyes......_

_.....brooding, slightly. It seemed as if he were pondering something. _

_It was then that the billionaire felt the uncertain twitch become tangible as he glanced down....._

_...and noted that the young hybrid boy was.....rather close to the cliff's edge. It almost made the man uncomfortable._

_But, after quickly glancing at Daniel's features once again, Vlad had to mentally check that._

_He DID feel uncomfortable having Danny so close to the raging waters. And, oddly enough, Vlad did not think at all it was out of worry that the boy would slip on the rocks and fall. Frightening that would be, it was a long drop, and he was fairly certain that the boy could transform himself in the heartbeat of a second to catch himself in midair._

_He slowly began to advance towards the boy, faintly wondering if he had made a mistake. The reason why he'd.....rather not have Daniel near the cliffs....was not one he wanted to think of. At all. Although it seemed extremely unlikely that the boy would....actually...do something like **that**, it still made the man highly at unease merely pondering it._

_He would move the boy away. And remove that odd expression he did not like to see at all on his boy's face near....a good twenty foot drop to death._

_As he tentaively spoke the boy's name, Danny started slightly, as if startled out of a reverie. Slowly, he turned his head over to face the man, looking rather curious at the now rather anxious expression on the billionaire's face._

_"Yeah?"_

_Vlad swallowed slightly, using years of mental training to keep his voice under a well controlled calm._

_"Why don't you back up a bit?"_

_For a moment or two, the boy simply looked at him, expression puzzled. But then, understanding lit his blue orbs, and a small smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. _

_"What's wrong, Vladdie?"_

_He had inched closer to the very tip of the rocky slope, overlooking the waters. Unconciously, Vlad began to quicken his pace._

_"Do you think I'll do something like… this?"_

_And, with that, Danny had leaped nimbly off the cliffside, heading straight to the watery rapids below._

_~*~*~_

Of course, Danny had only been joking. It most certainly had not been an amusing one, but, in the aftermath of the little incident, Vlad (Though his mind had been rather...preoccupied at the moment after his...something of a heart-to-heart with the younger hybrid) he had to wonder where and how the anxiety-and then, downright horror-had pooled into his stomach as he watched the boy ascend to what would be his certain demise.

Certainly, he would be panicked. He DID care about the boy-much as it had cost him plan after glorious plan in his existence.

But why on Earth the man had thought Daniel would do something so remotely....destructive....was beyond him. He knew the boy was still in pain-physical as well as mental, these days.....

......

..........

...............

His breathing esculated, and he considered to search more frantically.

The boy was not in that much physical agony. He couldn't be.

**He **_**mustn'**_**t be. **Vlad couldn't stand to see the boy engulfed in that level of misery.

Vlad had made his oath, and he would enclose and enforce it.

He knew perfectly well he would never make the boy forget about his loved ones-much as he strongly desired to. To be able to hear Daniel call him 'Father', for the boy's true, unforced, and unpainful smile to be free-for him to be able to break the absurd chains created by the selfish droves in Amity Park still binding Danny, a mere teenage child to be their messiah until some petty misfortune befell him, and the boy was instantly the town scapegoat......

Vlad's gloved fists tightened exponentially into fists.

Why should Daniel have to rescue the poor fools? It was their own fault for living in a fault line of ghostly activity! The town was nearly (Or completely, as it did seem to vary) decimated every few months! Why should the younger feel compelled to rescue the humans from their own folly?

The thought only made the already nerveridden man's state of

.....for both Vlad Masters and Vlad Plasmius to HELP the boy reach his true potential......

Vlad's eyes flickered slightly, as the rain continued its relentless barrage.

But the boy would not let go of his chains.

He could not let go.

And, even though the man could never comprehend why, it seemed most unlikely Daniel was going to disband his manacles anytime soon.

~*~

Now cursing the fact that he could not very well see, due to the ever constant canopy of leaves and branches still omnipresent for quite a few square miles, Vlad began to ascend slightly, still anxiously calling out Daniel's name.

At this point, Vlad Masters was quite honestly ready to scream out of sheer frustration.

WHAT DID HE DO TO HAVE TO KEEP THE BOY SAFE?! **CHAIN** THE BOY DOWN?!

* * *

Even if he had abandoned any plan of slaughtering the fat oaf, there was still the boy mourning the loss of his loved ones. Even in the months Danny had been here, it had never completely disappeared-quite the contrary.

The sinking in Vlad's stomach only confirmed the truth.

Daniel was hurting for them-more then ever. And he was still physically unwell. Though Vlad's new vaccine had much promise to fight the

Emotionally, Daniel was still distraught, but even a teenager-an emotionally undeveloped child wouldn't go that far.

As the rain continued to plummet down from the onyx skyline, Vlad had to frown, red eyes flashing in irritation as he continued to soar above the soaked, glistening, emerald treetops of the woods, continuously shouting out the boy's name.

* * *

_"Daniel!"_

_His voice climbed higher above the treetops._

"DANIEL!"

But there was no answer. Vlad tried again.

**"DANIEL!"**

His voice had very nearly climbed to the incline of a scream as he continued to soar over the wood, fighting back the surges of the frigid fear readily pouring themselves down his spine.

"DANIEL!"

Growling, eyes narrowing as the rain continued its merciless crusade, Vlad exhaled, desperately looking around the current patch of land he was gliding over.

"Daniel...."

There was no answer; the wind only continued to sweep over the now desolate landscape, refusing to reveal Danny from its damp, thorny concealment in the rapidly approaching darkness.

Vlad spun around in midair, fighting his irregular breathing.

He was not able to sense Danny at all, anymore, much to his growing frustration that was rapidly transfixing into misdirected rage. Quite frankly, the man felt ready to engage in such juvenile acts such as smashing something to bits.

He _had _sensed Daniel. For a brief second-but, when he had teleported to the last place Daniel's ghostly signature had been....

....much to his agitation, Daniel had been gone. The boy had transformed back into his human form, and then, most likely stumbled off somewhere.

But although the man HAD seen fresh tracks in the grime, they disappeared in a sea of damp leaves that had become dislodged during the preliminary of the storm.

And, there were now a hundred directions in which the boy could have gone.

But only one would really and for _truly _tell the man where Daniel had disappeared to, and, so far, it was only proving to be a fool's errand.

Vlad growled, underlying the fear-true, deep, and palpable_ fear_-reverberating wildly in his body as he continued to zip over the wood, feeling frantic.

Daniel was desperately ill, stumbling around blindly in a windswept downpour....

....and, quite possibly, so badly fevered that he no longer had any momentum to transfigure into ghost form.....or....

He raced into the shadows, water dripping from his fingertips in excess amounts as he did so.

* * *

~*~*~

Lightning flashed across the darkening sky. Night had fallen-and the brilliant, immense crack in the heavens disappeared as rain continued to pour on the two figures staring at one another.

The boy swayed lightly, the world flashing in and out a blurry focus, accompanied by a series of spots that passed in and out of his flickering vision, made all the more obscure by the water falling from his soaked face.

And raindrops were plastering themselves to his face as well.

~*~

The cerulean orbs were enormous as they took in the image of Madeline Fenton staring directly at him from merely feet away, violet eyes boring into his own in a way they had never quite done before.

But Danny, delirious as he was, could not tell. The breath had left his lungs, and coherent thought had vacated his mind for a mere, blank, electric shock radiating itself down his pale, petrified body.

Spectra tried to hide her distaste in Maddie's eyes. Honestly, paler then a fish's stomach, wild eyed, and soaked....

.......the boy looked like a walking corpse.

She hid a smirk at the thought.

Well, weren't he and the rich, miserable man both? Filthy little freaks. She shuddered. It was disgusting.

But, upon tasting Danny's aura-the rich, deep, savory misery in his heart....

She resisted the urge to lick her lips. It was delicious.

And, the shock brewing-which, with the right touch....could be kindled into hope.

And nothing was cravable in this world then despair and destroyed hope.

But it needed a little seasoning. She wanted to make the wretch suffer, after all.

Spectra stepped closer, eyes twinkling with a barrage of false concern as Danny took a step back, wild eyed.

It needed....a scent of...._betrayal._

_And she could do just that._

~*~*~

She raised an eyebrow.

Quite clearly, the boy was still delusional. Even more so then usual. He didn't even seem to know that he was now directly into a clearing...which, so very conveintly, had the river crashing wildly in the faucet of the storm.

And mist still blanketed the area.

Perfect. But why go to the boy? She would bring Mohammad to the mountain.

As Danny continued to give her a wild eyed stare, Spectra forced her most simpering, fake sympathetic gaze on the boy, violet orbs now glistening with malice. Honestly, years of acting made her an incredibly good liar.

She would make the poor dear very, very happy.

And, she would make him feel a slight pain that would be lovely, regardless. As she would back away, Danny would most likely follow her, little twit he was.

It would only be a matter of inches. The dear hybrid could not transform. He was hallucinating enough as it was.

And, once she had gone a good distance, she would wait....for him to come.

And, once he attempted to do so....

......the boy would fall into the churning rapids, a direct twenty feet from the stones of the cliff itself, into the rapids-into the churning waters, amongst the rocks.

~*~*~

Whew!

Okay, guys....I think this is all I can handle for right now. *Faints.*

I'm...pretty...sleepy...now....Zzzz....

I guess you can forget about what I said this being the last chapter. Sorry, everyone....Lauren needs to update once a day, and this is all I have....

.........for now.


	7. Chapter 7

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

Fatal Need?

~*~*~

Whew. Hallo, everyone....this tale was supposed to end....a chapter or so ago, but the darn tale simply will not go down. *Sighs.* To think, this was supposed to be a one-shot....am still laughing about that-albeit a bit sardonically. Lol! *Giggles.*

Am hoping you're well. If you've been keeping up with Pearl's Checkmate, you'll know that Maddie and Jack now know that the "Wisconsin Ghost" has Danny. And, I think we can all guess that, seeing as Vlad can no longer comprehend his life without Danny....he isn't letting go anytime soon. Aw.

Am a bit sad. Not quite sure why. Just feeling a bit meaningless, I suppose.

Please, take care, everyone.

* * *

_Vlad smirked as he used the remote in his hand to type in a password to lock the Amity Park Local News channel. After all, he couldn't have Daniel finding it in the programming when the teen watched TV—if he ever did. The billionaire didn't really recall ever catching the boy enjoying anything on it. It was odd. After all, didn't teenagers use TV as their main from of entertainment nowadays?_

_"Beep-Beep."_

_Vlad's eyebrows creased as he looked down at his beeping and vibrating watch. Turning off the TV and then lowering the remote, the man quickly changed into his ghost form. He activated the now red glowing device on his wrist, so that whoever was trying to get a hold of him would be able to get through._

**_"Plasmius! Can you hear me? Answer me!"_**

_Vlad felt his heart skip a beat at the unmistakable anxiety in Skulker's voice. It was so rare to hear the hunter so wound up. It took a lot to scare his closest ally. _

_"Skulker? What's wrong?" he asked, now very apprehensive himself._

_Despite how urgent the ghost had sounded, Vlad could faintly discern Skulker sighing lightly, before hesitantly responding to his employer._

_"Plasmius... there's been some…complications."_

~*~

Blast it all, why on Earth did he have to think of that now?!

Vlad angrily glared around the perimeter, prominent red eyes becoming all the more intense as he blinked the rain from his eyes, resisting the urge to growl.

It was getting late. Anxious as he was to find the boy, Vlad couldn't deny that there was a possibility-faint as it might be-that Daniel may have already returned to the castle, if any sense had relocated his fevered mind.

Once again halting in midair, frowning upon the damp and obscure landscape that stretched quite a few miles away from below, the man pondered the matter slightly, wondering if it would really do much harm for him to teleport back to the castle, and check in with his staff. Perhaps Daniel had already made his way around the older hybrid-and had simply gone back to the manor.

But Vlad had not been able to detect Danny's ectoplasmic signature. It simply refused to register, even when the man struggled to hold the radius scan for a good twenty minutes.

And, much to his exceedingly growing frustration, had found nothing. This was infuriating. Vlad bit the inside of his mouth.

.....but not nearly as troubling.

It would be quite a long walk in the rain to get back to the billionaire's home from here. Seeing as Danny was no longer in ghost form, there was no chance of him being able to take flight.

And there was no way anyone else could leave footprints that were decidedly about Daniel's size so close to his private property-in muck under a barrage of rain.....

No.

They were fresh. Vlad could tell that much. But he'd lost the trail some time ago....and, if that unnerving twitch in his subconcious was any hint of where the boy was....or what condition he could still possibly be in....!

No.

Vlad shot forwards, resuming to cry out Danny's name as he did so.

~*~

_Now in the Ghost Zone, Plasmius had been cursing himself throughout his entire flight for not getting Skulker to fix the bracelet quicker. If he would have done so, the boy would be wearing the device right now and he would know exactly where Daniel was at the present moment!_

_But now, he had no idea. The boy could be anywhere in the Ghost Zone!_

_"Blast! Why did I send him in here?!" Vlad shouted angrily as he stared around the deserted place to which Skulker had given him directions. Of course, the man had not expected to find Daniel or those pursuing the child here anymore. But he had hoped to find something that could point him in some direction._

_Looking down at the device around his wrist, he activated the communication link, and shouted, "Skulker!"_

_"**Did you find him?**" the hunter questioned in response._

_"Of course not!" Vlad answered back crossly. "Are you sure he was captured?"_

_"**I don't know, Plasmius! The child was bound when I last saw him. How could he possibly break out of ghost-strengthened bonds?**"_

_Vlad was silent for a moment. The man was sure the teen was more resourceful than even he gave him credit for; so, he didn't know what to think. If Skulker was wrong and the young half-ghost wasn't captured, then, Daniel had to have gone somewhere around here. But if Walker had indeed captured the teen, that would mean Daniel had been taken to the Warden's prison. But that was nowhere near here!_

_"Skulker," Vlad said soberly into the communicator. "Head to Walker's prison. If you see any unusual movement there, call me back."_

_The hunter remained silent for a moment, and the older hybrid knew it was because the ghost was apprehensive of going anywhere near the jail. But Vlad didn't care if his ally was comfortable or not with the order. _

_He wanted Daniel back!_

_ And if he had to break into that blasted prison to do so, then so be it!_

_~*~_

Something was wrong.

The anxious beat his pulse was reverberating into his body told the billionaire so.

Something was very, very wrong. The man groaned, and buried his face into a gloved hand, his eyes glowing a brighter, shade of bloody red as he did so from beneath his soaked, gloved fingertips.

He was ready to scream.

Daniel was out here. He knew it. The odd, reflective twitch that made the man uncertainly squirm inwardly over the awkward, relatively new emotion rippling inwardly was telling him so.

**_....so where the blazes was he?!_**

* * *

_Vlad let out a small shout of frustration when he found his trail of breadcrumbs end at a forested island. The arrows were now scattered everywhere, no longer showing any definitive direction where the chase could have gone from here._

_"Daniel!" the man shouted as he floated through the trees, his eyes scanning for anything that could give him some form of hope. _

_Unfortunately, he found the opposite._

_Plasmius squatted down with wide eyes and touched the green liquid staining the forest floor in front of him. He didn't realize that his breathing was slowly becoming faster as he followed the stains until he was staring at a tree with two green hand prints on it._

_Vlad's black gloved hand reflectively covered his open mouth. _

_"That can't be Daniel…" he whispered fearfully. But the quick way he got back to his feet and the frantic way he shouted the boy's name once more said he believed the very opposite._

_"**Daniel! **_

_**I implore you, if you're here, answer me**!" the man yelled as he flew further through the island. But at seeing that the area he entered did not have arrows anywhere, he halted. "He's not here!" he mumbled, a distressed hand going to his forehead._

_Plasmius quickly pushed off the island and took to scanning the distance beyond it. And to his dismay, he found that there was only empty space. There were no land marks; no doors....._

_......**no arrows! **_

_Just void-empty space! If there had once been any floating projectiles they had been lost to the abyss below. What was he going to do?_

_"**Plasmius**?" he suddenly heard Skulker's voice call from his communicator. But the man didn't even look at it. Vlad seemed to be on the verge of panicking as his eyes darted around the empty space. He didn't know it was possible to feel as helpless as he did now. He never knew he could feel so… afraid. For once in his life he couldn't think of anything. He didn't know what to do!_

_"If something happens to him…," Vlad whispered, but didn't finish as the possibility of not ever seeing the young hybrid again panged painfully at his heart. What had he done? It was never his intention to put the boy in this kind of danger. This was supposed to have been a simple trip. _

_A simple **harmless** trip!_

_"**Plasmius, if you can hear me. I'm near Walker's jail. I don't think the Ghost Child or even Walker himself is here. In fact, my radar shows there are barely any guards here… I think he took almost everyone with him**…" Vlad heard the ghost silence for a moment, but then added, "**Watch yourself, Plasmius**…"_

_The older half-ghost showed no emotion towards his ally's concern for him. The man was just staring fixedly ahead. "I must find him," he said soberly. "I need to find him!"_

_Vlad suddenly shut his eyes, something he only did when he required a deep form of concentration. He had to sense the boy. It was the **only** way he would ever find him._

_Talking a deep breath in order to calm his shaken nerves enough to focus, the older hybrid called on his inner ghost sense, quickly intensifying it to the point that it was uncomfortable. Not only was using his sensing ability in the Ghost Zone difficult, but it was also overwhelming._

_There were just so many ghost signatures which blurred into the Ghost Zone's own natural free energy. And having to sort and push through all these energies to find a specific one was like searching for a needle in a haystack. It was worse, really, since he couldn't use his eyes to find what he was searching for here. Vlad knew what he was trying to accomplish was almost impossible._

_And it indeed seemed to be just that. Try as he might, Plasmius could not feel Danny. And the fact had the man on the verge of panicking again. Daniel was too far away! That, or…_

_Plasmius clenched his eyes, his hands fisting on his side as he forced his ghost sense to search deeper into the cold abyss that surrounded him. He couldn't give up! It didn't matter how many ghost signatures there were here, he knew Daniel's unique signature all too well. He knew exactly how it felt. He knew it as well as his own!_

_Furthermore, he had over twenty years of experience under his belt! If that did not come to use now, at this moment, when he needed it most, his years of practice and acquired skills would all be in vain! He wouldn't have it! This was the moment that his powers had to be put to the test. It was now that he had to prove that he was indeed one of the most powerful ghosts in existence!_

_A pink hue suddenly encased Plasmius entire body, becoming so bright that if anyone would have been watching, they would have surely had to shield their eyes from it. But as quickly as the burst of energy came out of the older half-ghost, it vanished. And Vlad eyes snapped open with a gasp._

_"Daniel," he whispered, his eyes darting towards a specific direction. Instantly, Vlad took off towards his decided course with a burst of speed. He had felt the boy's signature! It had been brief, meaning he was far, but it had unmistakably been there!_

_With narrowed eyes filled with determination, he continued to move as fast as he could towards the boy. He didn't know what he was going to find once he found Daniel, but he was ready to fight Walker and his entire fleet if it was the only way to get the young hybrid back._

_Vlad knew that this overpowering fear and unexplainable need to protect the boy had to mean something. But he didn't care to ponder on it now. All Vlad knew was that he wouldn't…. _

_.......he **couldn't** let **anyone** harm the boy…_

~*~

No. He could not.

Vlad closed his eyes, and inhaled, attempting to calm his keening senses.

Daniel was....still an unknown factor to him, and one that he was still not at all certain on what...or where exactly he fit into the billionaire's life.

Sometimes, he admitted, it was perhaps a little shaming-as well as unsettling. Vlad had longed for the love of his life-and had bitterly brooded upon his revenge upon his once 'best friend' for twenty years.

Twenty years. Such a very long, short time.

Vlad's fingertips closed into his palm.

He had never ceased to love Madeline. Never for a heartbeat had he ceased his wanton desire to be with the woman he loved-the woman he KNEW he loved....

It was nothing like Stephanie and Eric's fleeting 'romance.' Eric was a pathetic excuse of a man, at best....

A snarl tore itself from Plasmius' throat, in spite of himself.

To leave the one you claimed to love-to have _her labor with the difficult task of carrying **your child**_-!

....and leaving, the moment another woman took your interest or caught or eye, the moment you felt that your love and your unborn little one were little more then needless _inconveinances_.....

Vlad started ever so slightly, blinking slightly as rain continued to stream down his ghostly, sallow flesh, pulling away from rather satisfying fantasies of wringing Eric's neck.....

....when had Stephanie and Eric come into the conversation?

...but that certainly wasn't important. He had continue his search. Eric was a mere figment of the past, much to the billionaire's satisfaction. Annabelle and Stephanie deserved much better then the filth of humanity.

....and that simply PROVED Vlad Masters correct! Whatever Stephanie had claimed-that the emotion called 'love' could easily be misinterpretated by another flurry of emotion-

...well, that was true, well enough. Teens were quite the prime example. Many of them were simply foolish adolescents who mistook a slight crush for true love. Adults were often-if not more often-similarly effected.

"Especially when you have the need to love....or **be** loved....."

Bah! Vlad shook his head slightly, a light scowl forming his features.

He was different. He DID love Madeline. To a painful extent that made him plaintively wish at times he did NOT. He had done so for so many long years. Were it Jack who had left Madeline while she had been expectant with Daniel, Vlad would have easily....well, he had been planning to destroy the irritating waste of space that was Jack Fenton in any regard, but, for taking away the woman he loved, for forcing him to bear a half-existence in that purgatory of a hospital ward......!

Alone.

His brow furrowed as the storm continued to conjoin its rage about him.

....but he would have slaughtered Jack in a much more painful regard for forcing his darling to hurt so much.....

~*~

_Had it only_ been the time to take Jack out of Madeline's life forever, seventeen years ago-after he'd received that despicable, pink announcement that a little girl had been born to the Fentons......just a few years after the unbearable agony he'd been forced to relive the day he'd received Jack and Maddie's wedding invitation.....

But, strictly speaking, he'd nearly broken when he'd received that call about Daniel's birth......

_......and the knowledge about the child-and the son that should have been HIS....._

He winced at the memory. It wasn't one he strictly visited upon....ever if he could help it.

....if ever. Had Vlad been able to rip Jack away from Maddie for good, it would have been simple enough to raise Jasmine-he'd known about her vaguely then....and then, 'Danny,'-which, he'd actually agreed with his old roommate sounded juvenilely...ah....'bogus'......in college......

........would have been his son, with Daniel being none the wiser.

To hear about the child call **him** 'Father.....'

* * *

Madeline had always been his reason. For everything.

He had brought-or rather forced, much as he rather preferred not to think of it-the boy here to earn Madeline's affections once he had Jack murdered. Once the woman had lost Jack, and Vlad could comfort her in her time of need, presenting her with her little one.....

Who would she love most? Jack-who'd failed wholeheartedly....or the man who loved her more then Jack could ever hope to do?

.....but it wasn't like that anymore. Vlad continue to soar, extraordinarily wet cape fluttering haphazardly behind himself, eyes flickering.

He still wanted Madeline to be his.

He still loved her.

.......but, nonetheless, he'd put Madeline on hold. If only for now. Daniel was claiming his attention-and his focus-for now.

He..._enjoyed_ being with Daniel. Immensely.

....and as Stephanie had noted, more then he most likely should. But he was far past caring about that, anymore.

How? How had he managed to put Madeline aside for another heartbeat-let alone three months?

How he fallen so low as to NEED the child as he did?

But Jasmine had been incorrect. Daniel needed his arch rival just as much as Vlad needed him. If not more.

Right?

...............right?

* * *

He had allowed the young hybrid, in a matter of _three month_s-to actually take root in his h-

The man scowled, and shook himself violently, desperately halting the fragmented series of thought. He felt ready to slap himself upside the face.

......that was a thought he was not willing to face. Not now.

_Not ever. _

And there was no point in even pondering such idiotics. Daniel was seriously ill as it were. Vlad needed to get the boy inside.

NOW.

~*~*~*~

Vlad drifted among the treetops, still staring intently towards the damp earth, eyes still urgently scanning the area.

**_"DANIEL!"_**

But there was still no answer. Vlad's hands tore into his damp strands, ready to screech with frustration.

"Apple strudel, DANIEL, WHERE ARE-?!"

**BOOOOOOOOOM!**

* * *

*Laughs.*

Yes. Something just blew up. Heh. You'll see why, soon enough.


	8. Chapter 8

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

My Dearest

_**~*~*~**_

Bonjour, everybody! I hope you're well. In the US, it is now officially Daylight Savings Time. (In other words, you guys all lose an hour of sleep. *Sighs, rewinds alarm clock.*

Forgive me for taking so long to update....been pretty busy. Life does just has the unpleant factor of getting in the way of things. Ah, well.

This part of the story will be all introspection-because I read over the scenario for next chapter, and realized, that as everything falls BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM-and a most unpleasant...."accident" that should please our Spectra-haters occurs.....better get this out of the way before the real action starts.

Finished a new story of mine-Caught in The Rain-but I've missed my Checkmate fictions! *Huggles my side-shots tightly.*

Take care, everybody-and, if you've haven't seen Pearl's latest chapter (I'm pretty positive you all have HAVE by now ^^) PLEASE. Read it. It's an emotional masterpiece of drama, fluff, angst, unbrideled fury, misunderstandings-and our favorite teen's unparallel desire to forgive, and try once more. *Hugs Danny.*

....but for now, let's see him get out of THIS one.....it's going to get pretty ragged and disjointed. But, the reason for the scatterness and the inability to stay on one subject WILL be explained next chapter-after a few old faces show up. Heh.

Oh. And if you note what usually happens when you make either Vlad or Danny....really really really rather unbelievingly blisteringly full of unbridled fury.....

*Winces.*

Soon, we hear Boom.

_**~*~*~**_

_Quote:_

_"I had no time to hate, because_

_The grave would hinder me,_

_And life was not so ample_

_I Could finish enmity._

_Nor had I time to love,_

_but since Some industry must be,_

_The little toil of love, I thought,_

_Was large enough for me."_

_****__

* * *

_

~*~

Lost in the electrifying, mind bending shock of the insanity, Danny took a slight step forwards, his convulted blue orbs dilating slightly as Madeline Fenton continued to gaze at him, purple eyes bearing down at him apprasingly.

And, he'd staggered, resisting the urge to cry out as his frame shook violently in protest, so much so that the boy's head began to churn once more, and the entire, damp forest turned into an intense, spinning facade of green leaf and gray sky.

All the while, his blue eyes were locked on those of his mother, who continued to calmly gaze back at him, her eyebrows raised, as a melting pot of emotions continued to rage through the panicked young hybrid's mind.

How had she....?

His breathing became disjointed-and the sickly boy was now on the urge of hyperventilation-from joy or panic, he was too delirious to properly assume either one.

_Why was she.....?_

~*~

Danny began to tremble, taking a furtive step back as the burning pearls began to trickle down his pale, burning face, his mouth parting slightly as he readied himself to say something,_ anything_-

...............

* * *

......but no words passed from the young hybrid, now feeling a sickening lurch of dread in his stomach reverberate throughout his body as he took another step back, at last grasping just how potently serious the situation was.

So much so, he'd been struck dumb.

But, even if he could work past the knot of dry sandpaper that was now complacent to his throat, shock had quickly eliminated all traces of thought as the boy took yet another step back, the hot tears continuing to rapidly flow down his face.

What was he supposed to do?

_What was he supposed to say?_

His heart was now pounding a rapid, jagged, and disjointed beat in his throat as indecision vehemently clogged the hysteric young hybrid's mind.

Did he run for it? If Vlad knew the woman he loved-no one less than Danny's mother-was **here**-!

Blue orbs widened in panic as a bolt of realization frightfully reared in the teen's mind, making him recoil slightly.

If his Mother knew that Danny was staying at Vlad's home......knew that Vlad had indeed been lying when he must have claimed he had no idea of the child's whereabouts....

Danny swung his head to fearfully gaze at his mother's calm complexion, now feeling positively faint with terror.

It would be the end of everything. Vlad wouldn't stop the woman he loved from taking Danny back if she knew the truth.

Would he? But he would only trigger the nanobots in Jazz's bloodstream once again!

And, this time......if he knew that there was no way for him to win on this Chessboard....

The boy wildly shook his head, sending droplets of water spinning about wildly in the downpour, soaked midnight hair now glued to his scalp.

....he didn't know if Vlad would actually go so far as to _murder a human_- but he certainly didn't want to find out! He'd tried to wriggle away from the web that the older ghost had created numerous amounts of times, but....

....it had always lead to a dead finish, leaving the boy a little more torn away.

After all, if Vlad had refused him freedom when, in the first month, Danny had seized revenge by attempting to make the man's life a shadow of the agony the man had caused _him_-now, while Danny could actually look at the man in the eyes and not glare out of sheer rage or hatred-!

With that realization, he stumbled backwards once again, Maddie only taking a patient step forward in response.

The tears continued to trickle down his already soaked face.

No.

Unless he succeeded in the only thing LEFT to try for-the thing that kept him smiling at least once a day in the older hybrid's manor, and helped the vehement pain of his loved ones' absence, if, not be taken away, be at least somewhat soothed to a dull throbbing-!

The billionaire would never let Danny go.

Not now.

And, if things were left in his way, not until the hour of his own passing.

* * *

With that realization, Danny's eyes flickered shut as he carefully tried to separate his heartbeats from the slight hum that wildly conjoining in his chest.

But it was no good. Just as the Fentom Booomerang had finally picked up on his signature-!

~*~

**_"CRASH!"_**

_The boy's eyes jolted towards the sound, but not quick enough to register the object coming towards him._

_"Ahh!" he cried in pain as the projectile hit him right on the forehead. His book dropped to the ground as he used both his hands to cradle his throbbing and spinning head. Slowly, he looked up, mumbling, "What the heck?"_

_A frown fell on his face as he stared at the glass doors that led to the outside balcony, and noticed one was broken. But upon remembering the fact that something had hit him, he looked down trying to find the thing responsible for the large growing bump on his forehead._

_He spotted it instantly._

_Danny's breath caught in his throat and his face immediately paled. His hands lowered from his forehead, and they began to tremble as he picked up the item on the ground._

_"The Fenton Boomerang," he whispered in disbelief and fear. In a flash, the teenager jumped to his feet and ran over to the glass doors. His hands—one still holding the boomerang--pressed against the glass door that had not been broken, while his eyes nervously scanned the star-filled night sky and surroundings. But he didn't see a trace of what he expected to find. That fact, however, did little to quell his dread._

**_Knock-Knock._**

_Danny spun around towards the lounge's pull-down stairs upon hearing someone knocking on his bedroom door below. And he soon knew who that someone was._

_"Daniel?"_

_"Oh no…," the teen whispered._

_"Daniel, open this door!" Vlad ordered, this time knocking a bit louder._

_~*~_

What had happened next, still gave the boy nightmares.

And the events that followed after Vlad had finally been admitted into the room-and had broken into a raging fury- had been, quite possibly, one of-if it did not already top the day he'd been forced to leave Amity Park behind-_the worse days of his life._

It had been agonizing enough to tell his sister the awful things that he drew would drive her away-all of them away.

But to try that with his Mom.....would not only be impossible, but even more, if that was even possible at this point-tormenting then the disease still lazily curling and unthorning itself in the young boy's body.

Madeline Fenton still said nothing as his eyes flickered uncertainly over to her once again. This wasn't like her. Was it shock?

But he quickly shook the thought away from his muddled and ragged bullets of thought almost immediately.

What would the man do if found out? _When_ he found out? Convince her that she had been hallucinating? Danny hysterically scoffed inwardly at that.

There was no way-on Earth or the Ghost Zone-that even Vlad could convince Maddie Fenton of that!

So, what did he do?

Danny immediately glanced behind himself, painful throbs shaking his heart as he glanced back at the violet eyes still gazing at him.

....did he have no choice but to run for it....?

But the thought was brutal, and, if it hadn't broke him enough to vehemently lie to his sister, best friend, and the girl that he l-

He shook his head, feeling ready to break down once more.

No.

If even Vlad was heartless enough to force him into yet another dead end-forced him to lie and reject his own Mother and Father-!

His breath escaped into the cool air in the form of slight puffs.

If the pnuemonia didn't kill him first, that would most certainly complete the job.

A tear hit a swaying green leaf on the ground beside him.

* * *

~*~

How had she found him?

Why had she left Amity Park to look for him HERE in the first place...?

His frantic heartbeat nearly faded to a stop as his next thought shot through the heavens of his clouded conciousness.

.............she didn't know. Jazz wouldn't have told her the truth. It would only had made his sacrifice meaningless!

She didn't tell Maddie the truth. His sister wouldn't have betrayed him.

.....though, in the end, hadn't he done the same to her?

Danny shook his head, his mother still silent as he uncertainly slunk behind a tree, his eyes still desperately fixated on hers.

Were the situation not so dire, thee boy would have been satisfied with holding the gaze of the woman he had not seen for nearly two months now-!

He closed his eyes, the tears now trickling with greater audacity then ever, now.

He'd missed her.

_He'd missed her._

Even with every smile-forced or unlikewise-just like when Vlad had granted him a last visit to his loved ones in exchange for his loyalty....

He managed a swallow.

The pain was all the more tangible then ever, and the urge to sprint to her and embrace her-to embrace, and be embraced-was terrible. It took all of Dann'ys mental restraint to force him to remain stationary, the callous urge to cling to his mother terrible.

Was he dreaming? Was that it? This moment-wonderful and awful and sweet and despicable it was-could not be actually happening.

But it all felt too real to the boy-the raindrops, the flashes of pain, the woman STILL saying nothing-!

In spite of the fact Danny knew-with the force of a dropping stone in his stomach, and a sickening lurch-he would have to run soon, run away, force his ghost form into tangibility once again-and lose her, somehow, some way-!

But the thought was agonizing, and Danny stilled, eyes still locked on Madeline Fenton, who continued to stare at him....

.....quite coldly.

His stomach lurched once again, but this time, not from fever.

For a moment or so, the two only stared at one another, the rain continuing to offer a chilling, opaque veil of silver to drape itself around the two, but Danny paid little heed as his vision began to flicker every so slightly.

A bolt of panic struck his mind, as he fought to stay on his feet once again.

No!

Not NOW!

He had to find out whether this was an illusion or not! If it wasn't-!

Danny hiccuped lightly, hand pressed over a burning cheek.

The desperate boy stared imploringly into the eyes of his mother, who, despite his now clouded vision, could tell was still looking at him....

...with that same, uncalculable expression as her lips at last parted.

"Well, Danny? Aren't you going to say anything? I did come all this way out here-just for you."

At the words, Danny started violently.

This certainly wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting. Danny only stared at her, the words only blankly creating comprehension in his subconciousness as Maddie continued her icy gaze, no warmth in her orbs.

And, certainly no sorrow as she took a step forwards.

~*~

Danny staggered back a step, yelping as his foot caught on a slippery root, and he had to cling to a nearby branch to stop himself from tumbling to the sodden Earth. Spectra came to a stop as he did so, her brow furrowed, expression....

.....repulsed, as if she were dealing with a drowning rat instead of her "son."

"....Danny, darling....are you alright?"

The words were forced-and more then slightly simpering. But, delirious as Danny was, he could not notice, even as puffs of air continuously began to leave his gasping mouth into the chilly mist.

Was it getting colder out here....?

But Danny's focus was immediately shifted back to his Mother as the woman let out a long suffering sigh, and turned around, arms crossed.

"....well, now. Don't I feel loved. It's always good to know you can trust your own begotten with anything, eh, kiddo?"

Maddie never called her children "kiddo." Danny's breathing picked up again, this time, dawning comprehension beginning to unpleasantly flash over his body.

W-what had....why was Mom....?

His thoughts shot back to the last time he'd seen her. The woman had been kneeling, asleep on his bed, face pressed into Danny's pillow.

That had been enough-a torrent more then enough-to make the boy break down in tears before leaving an intangible kiss and a simple, "I love you."

~*~

But now, Maddie had turned around, and was staring at him with critical, calculating eyes, expression shrewd.

"....really, Danny Fenton. You look like a dumb sock puppet. Just close your mouth already."

Danny blinked, then swallowed, trying to not let the obvious hurt tug at his expression as Maddie continued to stare at him, the corner of her mouth twitching ever so slightly as she did so this time.

Finally, she spoke once more, tone readily sinking into acridity.

"Well, son....it's.....it's been some time, hasn't it....?"

Danny started as the woman began to slowly pace, her eyes still locked onto his shocked visage, brow furrowed ever so slightly, as if she were calculating something critical.

That was it?

That was all she had to say to him after three and a half months....?

~*~

Shaking it off ever so slightly, Danny's eyes filled with tears as he forced himself to attempt to speak once again, throat feeling ready to tear from the effort.

"M-mom.....I......" He faltered, voice cracking with an odd barrage of hot tears.

"I-It's...so g-good to see y-y-"

Maddie just stared at him, expression carved into a sheer, haughty line as she whipped about once more, gloved hands on her hips.

"So the invalid finally speaks. _Gasp_."

Her words were harsh-and they bit into a stunned Danny's frame, leaving him speechless as the woman continued her tirade.

"I suppose you thought that was quite cute. But I went into a _panic _for you, Daniel Jack Fenton-I cried my EYES out for you when you decided to play independent and leave," she said softly, voice underlined with unconcealed anger as she took a step away from her son, who was still staring at her, eyes horrorstruck as words forced themselves free once again.

"M-mom, I'm....I h-had to go. You have t-to belie-"

Maddie spun around, cold eyes ablaze in a hue of violet flame.

"Do you have ANY idea of how much I worried about you? How long your Father would spend tearing your town apart LOOKING for you....?" she said coldly, noting that Danny was now shaking quite violently once again.

She resisted the urge to giggle at the end. But Penelope Spectra had always been an accomplished actress. Most perfect for her...extracurricular activities.

Or, her career. Whichever one came first.

Excellent. She felt a small twinge of satisfaction at that. But before she made the kid putty in this ugly woman's hands, might as well get a snack or two out of it, mmmm...?

Maddie shook her head as she took yet another step away from the child.

"Your father came home-exhausted each night. Anywhere he could look, he did. Still, I really should have guessed that you would have decided to come _here_, all of places." She shook her head disbelievingly, sounding faintly amused at her own stupidity.

His misery was palpable. But the wound was hardly splendid enough YET. It needed...perhaps...a bit of garnish for flavor.

"In case you're wondering how I finally won this game of peek-a-boo, Jazzy finally broke down in tears last night at dinner," she said expressionlessly, noting the deafening silence break over Danny at last as his already pale face turned a starkly alabaster.

"She's been SO worried over you, sweetheart. So much so, she finally told your Father and I the truth."

Danny's grip on the branch loosened, and, with a slight thud, the boy fell to his knees to the soaked Earth, face priceless, much to her satisfaction.

Horror was carved into his features.

As well as the fresh sting-one that made for a better condiment then anything else in this wretched world-that had proved all too beautiful, all too delicious, and all too satisfying in favor:

The one of betrayal.

~*~*~

Maddie sighed again, shaking her head at Danny's petrified pose before turning her face to the drizzling sky.

".....she was SO reluctant to give up your secret, honey....after all, it was YOURS. But Jazzy knew it was in your best interests to tell us the truth, sweetheart. I have to admit, you kept Phantom in the closet for QUITE some time without ever telling us. I'm impressed you managed not to let your parents key in on a...change in species? Is that what happened to you and Vladdie, I assume?"

She glanced at him, but the boy was still frozen into a stunned silence, his pale hands gripping at midnight spikes.

But she could taste the emotions rivetting off of him.

And, it was priceless. Not quite like the fine wine that Vladimir had bottled up for twenty bitter, exquisite years-but it was still divine. Bit of a shame that Betrand wasn't around to enjoy this delicacy-but he was in no mood to tangle with Plasmius once again.

The thought of the older hybrid was a bit unnerving. Spectra faltered for a moment as she recalled their last........rather unpleansant encounter......

~*~

_Putting up a smug smile on his face to cover up his fear, Bertrand replied, "Oh? Did we now? It just seemed like such a pretty place for us to take a stroll in… But I'm not so sure anymore. Your presence just took the 'pretty' from it…"_

_"Then allow me to help you leave such a dreadful place---molecule by molecule…" was Vlad's deadly reply._

_Bertrand yelped as a bright red energy ray came at him. But he quickly managed to dodge it, before just as quickly changing into his cougar form. With a growl, he ran at the older half-ghost and lunged with extended claws. But the man simply turned intangible and avoided the strike._

_"You obviously have no idea who you are dealing with," Plasmius said darkly. "That or you are one of those brainless ghosts…"_

_Bertrand roared in anger and charged again. But, this time, he transformed into a large wasp as he dove at the other male ghost, stinger first._

_Vlad looked anything but threatened by the shape-shifter; and with a single wave of his hand, he created a pink shield above him. And not having time to react, the ghost wasp slammed into it. But at that instant, Spectra had finally regained awareness and she dazedly turned her weak gaze towards the sight._

_A shout of surprise escaped Bertrand's mouth as Vlad's shield suddenly wrapped around him. But it soon turned into a cry of pain when an unknown force threw his trapped form back and slammed him into a tree. And before the ghost could recover, an ectoplasmic sphere drilled him further into the tree. The pink energy wrapped around him dissipated at that moment, but all Bertrand could do now was moan and slump against whatever was left of the tree._

_Hands still glowing with red power, Vlad walked over towards the defeated male ghost. "Before I send you back to the Ghost Zone, my way, you are going to tell me what connection you have with the boy."_

_Bertrand's eyes widened in fear; but he quickly glanced over at Spectra, only to hold back a grin at the sight of her…_

_Now confident again, the shape-shifter adapted his usual arrogant look as he answered, "Well, that's complicated. Me and Penelope, who is right next to the kid, go back with him a long way…"_

_Vlad didn't miss the ghost's emphasis and he quickly snapped his head over to where he had last seen Danny. But his eyes quickly narrowed as he locked gazes with the female shadow ghost. She looked vaguely familiar, but the man was too ticked off to give it any other thought._

_Seeing the older half-ghost glare at her, Penelope grinned back with a wicked yet seductive gleam in her eyes as she let her energy encase her hands, which were aimed towards Danny._

_The man could tell the female ghost was severely weakened, but her unspoken intentions still raised his hackles._

_"You'll have to forgive me, but I don't take kindly to threats…"_

_"Spectra!" Bertrand shouted when he saw Plasmius vanish from beside him._

_The female ghost gasped in surprise, but her companion's cry of alarm jolted her to react. And just as Vlad appeared right in front of her, she fired her energy forward, effectively catching the male off guard._

_The older half-ghost grunted as his back slammed into a tree. Thinking fast, Spectra fired another round of rays at the male ghost. But Vlad reacted quicker and raised a shield to protect himself. He was internally surprised that the female ghost had managed to get a hit on him; but he would make sure it was the last time._

_But the man wasn't counting on Bertrand's own quick reaction. Turning into his ninja form, he ran towards Vlad, knowing that his current compromised position would be the only chance they would get to subdue him._

_But Vlad saw the other male ghost's approach; and while keeping his shield up, he duplicated, and his copy fired its energy at Bertrand._

_Not having expected Plasmius' ability to duplicate, the shape-shifter was caught off guard. But just before he was hit by Vlad's energy, Bertrand managed to do what he had been planning. He threw one of his nunchucks at the man's throat, the weapon tripling in size as it flew through the air._

_Vlad gasped in surprise, right before the weapon hit its mark. But because he was still against the tree, the unnaturally-long metal chain in between the two ends of the weapon twisted around his neck and tree, binding him against it._

_Plasmius choked from the force; and his brief lost of concentration resulted in his energy barrier's and copy's vanishing. He instinctively pulled at the bind constricting his throat, but quickly realized that it was tangibility-proof._

_Unfortunately for the man, his brief distraction was all Spectra needed and she quickly flew at him._

_Vlad froze when he felt a pair of cold hands wrap around his wrists, stopping him from pulling at the chain around his neck any longer. He quickly narrowed his eyes at the ghost responsible as he menacingly hissed, "Let go of me."_

_"My, you are one tough cookie!" Penelope teased, her usual behavior quickly coming forth now that she had the upper hand. "But I hope you can forgive me for making such a mess of things for you. Then again, isn't your life already a mess? I know Danny's sure is. But I think I might have helped him a bit. Doesn't he look so much peaceful now?"_

_Vlad briefly looked over at Danny's still unmoving form, before looking back at the female ghost and frowning. He couldn't figure out what she was trying to do… But the answer slowly began to come to the man when he felt a strange feeling wrapping around his heart._

_"What **are** you…?"_

~*~

She had disconcerted him, much to her enjoyment-but that had not lasted very long....

_"Don't worry about Bertrand. He's gonna stay right there," Spectra said sweetly as she used one of her hands to turn Vlad's face back towards her again. "I know you're upset about what we did to Danny; but can you really blame us? He never lets us have any fun; and when we heard he was here, well… I guess we got a bit carried away. You of all people can understand that, right? You and he are mortal enemies, after all. How many times have you hurt him? More than you even know, I'm sure. In fact, I'm sure he hates you more than me! And that says a lot considering I did try to waste his sister the first time we met!"_

She had felt the hurt flicker from underneath the surface, but it wasn't near the splendid agony drifting from Danny now.....!

The therapist resisted the urge to lick her chops. Penelope would enjoy every tangible, delicious drop. She didn't dare tumble with the older hybrid ever again.

~*~

_Plasmius smirked. "What? Did you not think I would realize that you are a leech disguised as a ghost? Or did you really think you could actually reduce me into your meal by your silly mind games?" he asked mockingly._

_Spectra narrowed her eyes, though she was still confused more than anything. How was this man allowing his misery to pour out of him without it affecting his ability to think and focus?_

_Vlad's grin widened, but now there was wickedness in it as he then said, "But, I must know. How good do I feel…now?"_

_The female shadow ghost suddenly screamed as a wave of hot electricity shot from the hold she had on the man's hands and coursed through her body._

_"No!" Bertrand exclaimed, before turning into a cougar and lunging at Plasmius._

_But his change caused the nunchucks to vanish, quickly freeing the older hybrid. And by the quick way Vlad took advantage of this, it was obvious he had been waiting for it. He carelessly shoved Spectra away from him and turned to face the other male ghost. And just before the shape-shifter could use his claws and fangs against him, Vlad drew up a hand and conjured up a rope._

_It instantly shot forward and wrapped around Bertrand, leaving him struggling against the binds at the older hybrid's feet. Vlad then bent forward and picked up the tied male ghost._

_"As I said, you both picked the wrong territory to intrude…" the man said darkly before he let his electrical energy encase the male ghost._

_Spectra, now completely weakened and still on the ground, gasped as she helplessly watched Plasmius' merciless attack on her partner. But by the way the man's eyes were narrowed, she knew he had all the intentions of destroying him._

_This_

_The man was cruel!_

_He was evil!_

_At that instant, the female shadow ghost finally understood her brother's fear of him…_

_He wasn't like the other half-ghost. He wasn't **anything** like the younger one with which they dealt! _

~*~

And, ultimately, that failure to fully comprehend that had cost Dazzler everything.

Rage rippled through the female ghost as Danny continued to stare at her imploringly, pearls steadily falling onto his clenched fists as Spectra resisted the urge to growl.

The older hybrid was NOT like Fenton. At all.

Even if that horrid brat HAD stopped Vladimir from slaughtering her brother-a feat she was in no means thankful to the stupid kid for-he, unlike Danny, wouldn't have her simply shipped to the Ghost Zone in some absurb device.

Oh, no. He wasn't soft-like her dratted sister-but that was another feat altogether. Had she not have gotten away like she had managed-Plasmius would have watched her die.

And, he wouldn't hesitate to destroy her if he caught her within a millimeter of the boy again....!

The woman bit her lip as her violet eyes flashed to Danny-who was still staring at her, looking horrified.

Excellent. But she had better make this quick. Though she longed to make him suffer a delicious, agonizing, and humiliating demise at her hands-she had to end this. If only to avenge her brother rotting away in Walker's prison, she could at least have the bragging rights in the Ghost Zone as Phantom's executioner.

She peered back at the boy with the slightest hint of a smirk as she glanced back over the cliffsides.

Berate the boy over just how heartless he was.

Make him suffer for every last second she dared to be out here-dared invoking the other hybrid's wrath once again.

She shuddered, but soon enough, brushed it off.

Compare him to his darling older sister. THAT would invoke a nice spot of failure on the boy's part to live up to her genius.

Make the boy so desperate for healing that he'd stagger after her. Fever had already clouded his mind, and it would be easy marionetting the little puppet towards the rocky slope.

She frowned absentmindedly at that. The next step would be tricky-but, if executed with the right amount of vigor on her part, she'd make the child fall for her. Hard.

Her eyes ghosted over the cliff overlooking the raging waters, hidden by the blanket of mist that had long since enveloped both of the ghosts.

Literally.


	9. Chapter 9

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

The Melody of Logic Plays The Notes of Truth

_Là où les anges craignent de marcher _

...I have some serious 'splaining to do, don't I?

A-heh...a-heh...heheh...*Nervously tugs on collar.* Gosh, it's...been awhile. Three months since I've updated...

...please, please, don't kill me. I'm terribly sorry. But at least my writing style is a little better now. (I hope it is, anyhoo.)

Please enjoy this segment, review, and take care, everyone!

* * *

_Quote:_

_"And Yet the ear, it fully knows,_  
_ By the twanging,_  
_ And the clanging,_  
_ How the danger ebbs and flows ;_  
_ Yet, the ear distinctly tells,_  
_ In the jangling,_  
_ And the wrangling,_  
_ How the danger sinks and swells,_  
_By the sinking or the swelling in the anger of the bells -_  
_ Of the bells -_  
_ Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,_  
_ Bells, bells, bells -_  
_ In the clamour and the clangour of the bells!"_

_~*~__

* * *

_The nape of the specter's neck, where black hair had been thoroughly plastered after being soaked by the ceaseless flurry of raindrops tingled unpleasantly, and the chill increased potently in the air, to the point that Plasmius could see his own breath.

It was getting colder...but now, so much more unnaturally so. Vlad twisted around incredulously to stare at ice crystals formulating on an evergreen's trunk, glittering slightly as raindrops slid down upon them, and occasionally, instantly freeze to meld themselves within the icicles clinging like parasites to the undersides of the nearby trees.

What in the world was going on? It should not be getting _this _frigid in the beginning of May!

Plasmius whipped about in the air, scowl on his complexion fading to make way for obstinate desperation, as the ghost hurriedly fired an ecto-ray towards a nearby tree, sending squawking, indignant crows roosting in its icy branches sky high into the air.

He'd had enough! HE'D SEEN ENOUGH! He had to find Daniel! He needed to find Daniel! In his condition, the boy could very well **die **out here!

At the thought, the man's face went blank, and a sheer, arctic, tingling sensation began to prickle at every inch of his body, so numbed by cold. At last, he compounded his shaking gloved hand into a fist.

"Daniel..."

Vlad sent another wild energy blast towards the tree he'd just razed to the ground seconds ago; breathing heavy. What did he have to do? Knock over each and every tree of this land to uncover the child?

If that's what it took, Vlad would do it! He no longer cared, anymore! Danny was alone out here, quite possibly delirious, in a dark forest full of wild creatures with claws and teeth and...and...

A pained gasp was lost at Vlad's next thought, as what happened next quite literally knocked the breath out of his chest. A blast of fiery, burning energy ignited itself from his mouth in the form of boiling-hot, snappy-scarlet smoke.

The very same that had been omitted from the man's...sense, of sorts, if that what it was...when Daniel's ghost powers had been skyrocketing to the point where they'd nearly torn the poor boy into pieces.

* * *

It was now remarkably quiet. The rain was lessening now, though it hardly took the foreboding of the air with it, or the ever-increasing cold in the air, which held no crispness, or pleasantry to be found. Vlad's own teeth were now rattling by this point, and, from such an elevation as which he was currently floating in, ice crystals began to form at the base and ends of his cape, thus further esculating the chill.

The rain's relentless wave was at last beginning to fall to a light drizzle, but no birds were chirping in it. Like the crows, they'd all fallen completely silent, save for a raven's incessant croaking somewhere far away...

It was rather like a scene from one of Poe's own stories as Vlad still hovered about in the air, bewildered by the release of energy that had so abruptly taken place as it hadn't for months. Never before had the woods looked so cheerless and this ever consuming cold was literally driving at one's bones, as if it were eagerly attempting to worm its way in to delight in conquesting some unlucky soul.

With that, Vlad's eyes widened exponentially, as a faint stream of memories began to flow into him...

_He instantly froze as he recognized it as the young hybrid's Ghostly Wail._

_"No…," the man whispered in dread as the realization that something was terribly wrong swept over him. He should have known that this nervous flutter he felt had to have meant something! He should have known Daniel's vanishing was not some random act!_

_But the older half-ghost quickly dispelled his self-berating, and took off in the direction of the boy's wail—or at least where he had last heard it since it had now abruptly ended. Though, considering how the trees had just literally been flattened by the teen's power, it wasn't hard to miss the exact location from whence the wail had come._

_But what had the man so frantic now was that he knew that Daniel never used that power just to use it. He summoned it as a last resort. He used it when he was at his end._

_Plasmius' red eyes sparked with deadly anger as he picked up his speed, ready to pummel whoever had just dared to hurt the teen. He didn't even bother to fly down when he finally reached the clearing that Daniel's Ghostly Wail had left behind. Instead, he teleported there._

_He quickly scanned the area and the first thing he spotted was the young hybrid's unmoving form. He quickly rushed to his side, only to abruptly halt when he caught sight of something else in his peripheral vision. He turned in its direction and instantly locked eyes with Bertrand, who was now floating in his blob form with a firm frown on his face._...

_Vlad's eyes narrowed in threat as his deadly red energy began to slowly pour out of his hands. "Who the blazes are you?" he growled. But noticing the other female ghost on the ground, he paused. But it was brief and he soon darkly added, "You both picked the wrong territory to trespass upon..."_

The man started at the similarity of the circumstances, something unpleasantly familiar beginning to churn inside his gut..._  
_

_A leech that positively ravished feeding from the anguish and suffering from others. The lowest of ghosts that was no less then a bottom-feeder, who continuously used manipulation and her own worthless gimmicks in order to incapacitate and tightly bind petrified people in a web of their own fear..._

_He had been so ready to destroy her. Her and her silly little assistant, who tagged along the she-witch like a pitiful, overstuffed maggot. At the very least, her brother had paid the price for their foolish mechanisms concerning Danny._

_No one touched what was Vlad Masters'. Hadn't he told Dazzler that before nearly wasting him? It was a lesson the specter should very well have learned by now, if Walker wasn't too busy still driving it into him with a flail._

_No one touched what was his...at least, not without paying a very dear price. _

The unnatural cold that Spectra so often used to cloak her own presence, particularly from Daniel...the gloominess, the tangent odor of pain...Vlad now felt enraged with himself for not realizing sooner as the cold all but began to fade from the man's notice, so consumed was he in fiery flames of scalding fury.

_Why didn't he notice this sooner?_ That _wench_ was back! She was either quite brave or quite foolish, because no one, not Dazzler, not her sickening little helper, no one, was going to protect her from the man's wrath! Daniel could say what he would, nothing was going to change his mind! If she'd laid so much as _one_ of her_ filthy_ fingertips on Daniel, HE'D DESTROY HER!

With a gasp, Vlad shot forwards into the air, heart pounding as, in his frantic state, he threw himself wholly to the strange, almost-tangible bond that he shared with Daniel. Not caring that he was only following it blindly, shooting across the dark skyline over the forest in a direction of which he had no idea of its identity, clinging desperately to the light thudding of the...whatever it was that he had never, ever intended to create with the boy when the younger hybrid had first arrived here's...almost pulse-like machinations.

Plasmius' own heart began to climatically speed up...and then, to his surprise, just as quickly slow down. He supposed it was nothing to be concerned of as of right now; he had to find Daniel, else he wouldn't last very long in his condition against a fight with the little wench, but it was certainly disconcerting as he hurtled through the dark air, breath ragged as the man flew faster then he had ever done so in his life.

It was as if his own heart were replicating not that of his own surroundings, but those of others'. A pang shot through his heart, which puzzled him, as it was quite disconnected from his own panic and anxiety.

And its pace...was not matching his own. It was detached from his own body, with poignant aches that had the man wincing now and again. What was this? What was going on? This wasn't his heartbe...

_**"BLAST IT ALL!**_" The man shouted angrily before he quickly poured on more speed, zooming ahead several feet.

What did it matter? While the sensation was, although uncomfortable and awkward for the man, not quite...unwelcome, as it somehow made him feel a little less isolated alone out here, he could worry about it later!

Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. Daniel needed help! And this dawdling was NOT going to change anything!

Suddenly, a horde of croaking ravens fluttered out of the tips of fluttering treetops, right where Vlad knew the ledge that he'd shown Daniel just weeks ago was...directly over the river...

As Plasmius gasped and, despite his aching lungs, hurtled on more speed, one thought present in his head as he sped into a thick mist surrounding the area:

_'Please be safe, Daniel!'_

* * *

He wanted to see her. He wanted to see her. The bitter pain of hopeless longing was desperately churning in his stomach, causing him to feel nauseated, and sick at heart.

The rain continued to fall. Danny's mother still held out her gloved arms in the sea of mist, gentle violet orbs still watching him expectantly as the boy hesitated near the slope of the cliff he could not see. The roar of the river below him had quite faded, and there was nothing left in the world but mist, cold, and...

Danny swallowed, and took a step forward, face still livid pale with fever.

Just as how he'd seen her in the one visit he'd been allowed to have in Amity Park, her face brought incredible comfort...and a deep, grinding pain the younger hybrid had never suspected he'd someday carry when he'd been but a still 'human' child, with his biggest worries concerning bullies and fervent hopes of someday becoming an astronaut.

Those days seemed funnily foreign to Danny now as he warily watched his Mother wait for him. There were memories that he knew quite well enough, but they didn't quite seem to be _his_. Rather, they belonged to some other boy, someone Danny didn't know anymore.

He took a step forwards. A twitching chill was frantically thrashing itself on the outskirts of his subconscious, steadily advancing from a sensation that remarkably resembled a blind kitten crying as it was stirred from sleep to be handled by rough human hands, to several panicked voices condoling him to cease walking as Danny took another step forwards.

And another.

And another.

"Good...that's a good son, Danny..." Spectra purred, a green, malicious spark momentarily dazzling the violet orbs.

Still feeling sick, Danny swayed lightly, a small frown beginning to mark his features.

He didn't quite remember his mother...ever simpering. Madeline Fenton was simply not that type of person; just one of the many reasons that Danny loved her so dearly-wanted to be held by her so dearly. Weak as he knew it was for someone who could easily destroy an entire city with a few shakes of the hand (something that the child could never do in any case) to want to curl under a loving parent's arm, and forget the rest of the world existed for just a short period of time, it was becoming extraordinarily difficult to care at this point in time. Danny still seemed to be half dreaming, and, dying inside and out, he wondered if it would be so bad as to indulge and run to his mother, just as he'd done when he was little, and had some bad dream.

He'd missed her so much, but had indeed tucked it away the day he decided to help Vlad. The hurt had never quite faded away, though the days at Vlad's manor had grown from inexplicably painful and lonely to awkwardly shaky, to tolerable, to...not bad.

After all these months of trying so hard, all he wanted was to just-

"Danny."

He started at Maddie's voice, and looked up with disorientated, discomforted blue eyes. The woman was beginning to sound annoyed.

"Danny, come with me."

Oh, how he wanted to! But he couldn't! He'd made a promise, to his family, to his friends...even to Vlad. Homesick he was, Danny already knew in his heart what he'd been doing was the _right _thing to employ.

He had to stay. He'd left for Jazz, and he'd stay for her, and for everyone else. It was his hope one day to change Vlad to a degree that would...make it all worth it. That would allow him to go home. It was a hope that made his heart sink just a little bit when he added the immense waves of improbabilities, but it was what helped him survive here. If what had happened between him and Vlad, him and Dazzler, and everything else from when he arrived here hadn't destroyed or completely broken him like he'd been positive it should have, then...

...neither would something as small as pneumonia make too much of a difference. Danny swallowed, still wincing as he felt his throat throb in protest, but now vigor was lining his veins, and he only stared at his mother sadly before shaking his head.

Spectra blanched as if she'd been hit, and she hissed rather then said her next words:

"Darling, what are you doing?"

Confusion lined itself inside Danny at the venom in his Mother's voice, but he shook his head. To do that was more excruciating then anything the fever had done to him physically, but now Danny knew that, unbearable it was...

...he had to bear it. He had to make his Mother understand that he loved her; loved her more then anything, and was not giving her up. There was no Vlad around to force him to purposely hurt her, though he wasn't at all sure that the man would make him do that to the supposed 'love of his life,' in any case.

A thought struck Danny; what would the man do once he realized Maddie KNEW about both of their ghostly counterparts? Maddie seemed angry at him, and that struck quite a blow, but...he had never...thought that she would react like this. At least, he had reverently hoped not. When Danny had first received his powers, he'd been shaken awake by more then one dark dream concerning his Father tying him down to an examining table...and Mother snapping on her gloves in a businesslike motion...

Danny took another step back, not noting the cold fury in his Mother's eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said sadly, eyes downcast as his voice dripped with cracking remorse. "Mom...I..."

He swallowed, forcing the words out.

"I can't go with you."

Maddie walked closer over to him, though, in all this fog, it looked as if she were floating.

"Is that right?"

Danny shook as mist escaped from his mouth. Brrr. It was so freezing outside! Refocusing, Danny used all of his willpower to shake his head, tears still falling.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I...I don't know if you're real or not, but...I...s-still..."

He stretched a tentative hand to touch his Mother's hand, but the woman seized his hand before he could do so.

Danny stared at her in surprise, but shock overwhelmed him when a voice quite different from Madeline Fenton's voice responded.

"How cute," Spectra sneered, as what little color remaining in Danny's face abruptly drained from it. Smiling malevolently, she used Danny's moment of shock to jerk him forwards.

* * *

"Be a good little boy and die now, mmm?"

And, with that, Spectra cheerfully pushed the frozen boy off the rocky slope of the cliff.


	10. Chapter 10

The Epitaph of Dusk and Dawn

Night

_Non muoia, Danny! Gli spettri funziona in difficoltà!_

~(*)~_  
_

_

* * *

_

Hallo, everyone! Well...decided to not wait another...three and a half months before updating once again. *Smiles nervously, ducks tomato pile.* Sorry about that! Am doing my best to finish as much as I can with the time I'm given.

This segment should be a nice bit of fun...probably not so much for Spectra, though. If any of my audience is still clutching rotting vegetables, by all means, feel free to hurl them at her. She's quite possibly my least favorite character in DP...well...actually...

...hmm. Actually, Spectra wins term of my least favorite character. I think she beats Paulina and Dash by a long shot.

In the meantime, please take care, kay? ^^

* * *

Quote:

_"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,_  
_Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,_  
_To the last syllable of recorded time;_  
_And all our yesterdays have lighted fools_  
_The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!_  
_Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,_  
_That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,_  
_And then is heard no more. It is a tale_  
_Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,_  
_Signifying nothing."_

_~(*)~  
_

_

* * *

_

_"Be a good little boy and die now, mmm?"_

_And, with that, Spectra cheerfully pushed a stunned Danny Fenton off the cliff, directly towards the raging spray of the dark waters below, with several slabs of jagged rocks beneath it._

)(

**SPLASH!**

The water eagerly consumed the boy's body, and Spectra watched with interest as the small waves below began to whip back and forth, made wild by the excessive rain Northern Wisconsin had been experiencing lately. Mmh. Spectra's eyes, now restored to a serpentine emerald from Maddie Fenton's soft violet, narrowed, and glittered slightly as the rampant water below the bridge began to smash itself against the enormous pires of stone slab that littered the riverbed, foam and spray churning about as the female psychologist closed her eyes, and listened to the waves pound into the rocks with broken bits that looked as razor-sharp as broken glass.

_Slam. Slam. Slam._

A small, cruel smirk began to inch itself up Spectra's lipsticked mouth as she mockingly crooned, underneath her breath,

"Sorry, honey pie. Mommy wants you to die, now."

(~*~*~)

Looking at the chaotic rush of the dark river beneath the cliff, Spectra wondered vaguely if the boy would resurface. It was most unlikely, seeing as how the current had most likely locked the little freak in its clutches by this point, and Danny's body probably still refused to phase into his little super hero-counterpart. She had to give herself props for worming her way around the older hybrid's defenses to conjugate just a delicious seasoning of misery in the boy's heart. Ultimately, Danny had been unable to fight back the infection, and the boy's condition had slowly degraded into pnuemonia.

Spectra pulled out a compact powder puff from her pocket, and anxiously began to dab at her cheeks with a generous amount of rouge, now feeling slightly anxious, even as the waves continued to churn past the stones, down the enormous, snakelike route of furiously churning, midnight blue waves made darker by the coming of nightfall below.

That older hybrid...wasn't like the little brat. Most certainly, he was an abominable freak as well, but...

Spectra yelped, and her dyed crimson nails flew to her neck as she remembered the older phantom sneering at her while he steadily strangled her. The phantom child would never kill an opponent...which was one of the many reasons she enjoyed toying with such a weakling. But Vlad, her brother's ex-employee...

She glanced down at the racing waters again, as a starkly white crack appeared in the dark skyline, like that of a crack you might see on a broken looking glass. A moment later, thunder boomed overhead, and the waters began stirring about more frantically then ever.

Vlad would tear her apart if he found her here once again, as he had nearly done once before. While his misery was luscious, exotic, and aged like that of a classic vineyard's bottle of port, she could not touch it, much as she wished to. It was a shame, but in between having just one taste of that deliciousdeliciousexquisite suffering, and enduring on...

Begrudgingly, she had to choose enduring. She would have to leave soon, but only once she confirmed that the brat had kicked the bucket at last. She and her brother had tried to kill the brat at least four or five times by now, and every time, _every time_, the kid's self-appointed guard-dog came to his rescue!

Spectra faintly noticed a beetle scuttling upon the rocky slope of where she still stood. Without a thought, she smashed her red heel into the small creature, grinding out its life without another thought before gliding off the rocky slope, her malice-filled eyes fixed on the river below. Hesitant, she glided to the spot where the boy had fallen, as the rain continued to trickle about her in the darkness.

Had the boy drowned by now? Shame. Spectra shook her head, somewhat disappointed. Plasmius had not come for the boy. She really should have deadlocked Danny in a cage of his own guilt, his own fear, his own overwhelming sorrow that he had locked inside. It would have been the equivalent of several face-lifts for her, in any case, before she left the boy's lifeless body lying around like the stupid and insignificant toy it was. Plasmius liked to play with it well enough, but Spectra only played with her toys until the fun part came around, and she broke them.

"What a waste..." she murmured, savoring the memory of the boy's own potent anguish when his own 'mother' had shoved him into the eager river's depths.

A minute had gone by. Then five. Ten. And still, even as the specter slowly floated over the dark river, in the same direction as the ripping current, her uncertain frown soon transfigured into a gloating smirk. If the boy had escaped being shattered against the rocks, he had most likely drowned by now.

Spectra smiled charmingly, and let out a girlish giggle as she stared eagerly at the waves below.

"Danny, darling? Mummy says she'd like it very much if you'd send her a postcard when you're swept out to the Great Lakes," she taunted, pleased by the fact that Danny's head had not popped the surface at least once before the tide could take him.

She thought for a moment, before jeeringly shouting out, as thunder roared overhead once again:

"Or, at the very least, you could tell me what it's like to be brushed onto a bank, and then wheeled off to a morgue, via _body bag_!"

Still no answer. Spectra's smile almost faded a bit. How she would have liked to make the boy suffer for every hundred years Walker had decreed that Dazzler be held in prison...

But, in the bigger picture, she'd avenged her brother, and tortured the child before knocking him off. That was what was important. And Ma was probably smiling proudly from below.

She shrugged, and tugged out a small tube of lipstick to dot at the corners of her smug smile. Glancing at her compact mirror, she smiled at her own reflection, well-pleased by the young, malevolent specter simperingly smiling back at her.

This had been amazingly easy. Show Danny his darling Mummy, and the boy goes to pieces. Perhaps she could find the woman in Amity Park if she was interested in a bit more fun, and pretend to be Danny Fenton.

And then, she could tear poor little Mummy's heart out. How, Spectra didn't know, but the possibilities were endless, and so many wounds to suckle on.

Spectra descended a little bit over the river, to the point where she was an exact ten or fifteen feet above. She couldn't sense the boy's energy, nor his misery. And...

The woman peered suspiciously at the shore lines, but Danny didn't seem to have pulled himself up onto one. Still, she'd 'almost' destroyed the boy in the past one time too many. She'd stay for another fifteen minutes or so. If the boy popped up, maybe she could still have a little fun with him.

The thought made her stomach flutter. This was more fun then breaking jocks' hearts back when she had been but a human high school girl, and needling her clique's girlfriends against one another.

Bertrand really should have come with her. Fat, pompous coward. The female specter distastefully shook her head as she circled around the river to do a double check. She really needed to find better help.

* * *

_"I love you, Mom."_

_"I love you too, Danny."_

_"Surprise! Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!"_

_"I'm **already** proud of you sweetie. I do love you, and I do trust you."_

_"I know you would never do anything...bad."_

~(*)~

Falling and flying are two very different things altogether. Admittedly, Danny had once as a three year old boy, attempted to 'fly' by springing up off of the bed.

But, he'd only crash-landed into the rug, which resulted in a large bump on his head that he had sobbed over for a little while, while his mother ran a soothing hand over his aching forehead.

Flying meant freedom, once the boy had actually experienced the real thing as a half-ghost. It meant freedom and infinite possibilities while you rose to the depths of the sky to see just how high you could possibly go with the world exploding below before your eyes, and the skyline going into the unreachable forever with stars that were thousands of miles away, at the 'ceiling of heaven,' as a teacher of his had once called the sky, yet looked close enough to grasp.

Falling meant that you had no control. Danny knew by now that he was about to plummet, and unable to stop it, he was going to get hurt.

Badly, if he wasn't already.

But Danny felt none of this has he fell from the cliff, his blue eyes dilated and blank as his mother cheerily waved at him from the top of the cliff, her brow creased with disapproval and disdain, as if she had been forced to handle something repulsive.

The roar of the wind or the crashing of the waves below him was lost to him. He clung to the cold numbness as he shot towards the dark water, aching body refusing to transfigure into his ghost form.

And his heart was likewise refusing the desire to as he plunged into the darkness below, ice overtaking his body, breath whooshing out of his lungs at the chill racing downside his spine.

* * *

Water rushed into his mouth and eyes, and the boy gagged as the current almost immediately recognized its new toy, and abruptly rushed it forwards, rocking him forwards and backwards and sideways and-

^EO:(I+_(^$$#?

It was indiscernible. Danny gasped as he forced open his eyes in the darkness, but even with his vision so more acute then a normal human's, there was nothing TO see but the light flickerings of light somehow worming their way in to fluctuate underwater, making ripples dance in every direction as the current eagerly tore at the struggling teenager, sending him speeding along in a helpless, wild circle that had no beginning, and no end.

It was dark. He thought he might have seen seaweed, a plant that normally dreamily flickered and waved about underwater fluttering wildly as the current tossed him into colder, and darker waters, which was a clear sign that Danny was now being forced downwards-

No...that wasn't quite right...

Danny fought ferociously against the water, attempting to find the surface, but to no avail; he couldn't tell if he was right-side up, sideways, or even upside down!

No...

His ghost form wouldn't come forward. Sparks burst to life in a glowing hue underneath the water, but no matter how desperately he tried, nothing succeeded. His lungs were burning for air, and while Danny kept pushing against the tide, it only continued to indifferently knock him backwards, sufficiently knocking a bit of the remaining breath he still had his lungs.

Where was he?

Where was he going?

If he was in his spectral form, escape would be simple, but...

He couldn't free himself.

He was helpless in the tide of the storm.

He couldn't move. Not of his own free will, any way.

He couldn't see.

And, his vision of the darkness was flickering, now, descending into a deeper darkness Danny had seen once before; one that had pulled him into blissful oblivion while Vlad's scream had rung in his ears...!

Frantic, and now near terror, Danny tried again and again to phase into his ghost-form, but the boy was being buffeted downwards...downwards...

The water grew colder, and the teen gasped at just how freezing the water now was, which was a mistake. Cold, stale water rushed into his mouth, and his aching hands were now two stinging stars of pain as he forced his sprained ankle to cooperate, wincing at the ache.

_Someone, anyone..._Danny thought desperately, lungs now ablaze He needed air. He needed air.

_Vlad...!_

But Vlad did not come. No one did. His luck had run out. Burning trickles escaped from Danny's eyes to the freezing, suffocating darkness around him.

No help was to be found. He was going to die.

As if to affirm his statement, a particularly violent wave sent Danny spinning into the depths.

Danny's eyes closed, and, not at all sure of what to make of the odd, flickering figure swimming in and out of his vision a few feet away, the boy no longer felt anything; even the cold.

* * *

Two chapters left! And...well...can you guys guess who? ^^

Poor Danny...I'm being so awful to him in this story...*Sobs.* But he'll get his payback, soon enough. And make a very important discovery on his own, trust me. Vlad may have come to save the day, but it will be someone else stepping in when everything looks hopeless...


End file.
